Senate Minority Leader, Senator Aba Moro, has strongly criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting that their exit does not signal the end of the opposition party.
Speaking during a live television appearance on Sunday night, Moro dismissed the mass defections to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an unconvincing political strategy, branding it a “lightweight option” aimed at dislodging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration without ideological clarity.
“For those who are saying they are defecting to the ADC to fight the incumbent president, if you recall, I don’t subscribe to politics of gambles,” the senator declared. “I don’t subscribe to ‘we want to fight this or that’. The truth is, all of us here are Nigerians. Those who have gone to the ADC have chosen a lighter option to rescue power from the ruling party.”
The former Minister of Interior said he has no intention of joining the coalition being formed by aggrieved PDP members and other opposition elements. Instead, he urged party loyalists to remain and help rebuild the PDP from within.
“The reality on ground is that I’m not joining them. If there is division in PDP, the leaders should stay to fix the party,” Moro affirmed.
Taking a swipe at Atiku’s justification for dumping the PDP, Moro said the former Vice President’s statements reflect his personal disposition, rather than any real ideological crisis in the party.
“Some of the reasons portray his kind of person. People who have been in PDP all these years now complaining about lack of ideological clarity in the party makes a statement about themselves,” he said. “If you want to leave the PDP, you can quietly leave. It is not right to be making some unfounded statements.”
Moro further questioned the ideological foundation of the ADC itself, accusing the defectors of hypocrisy. “What is the ideology of ADC where they have gone to? People are already complaining in ADC with the way some have tried to hijack the party,” he added.
He argued that some of the exits may, in fact, be beneficial to the PDP. “Sometimes, some of these exits are good riddance to bad rubbish. Some of these people may have been responsible for the crisis in the PDP.”
Reacting to rumours that Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is planning to defect, Moro downplayed the speculation.
“The time of crisis is time of speculation and to spread rumours. Everything about PDP is all rumour. There’s nothing before me to confirm that rumour,” he said. “Talks on Adeleke leaving PDP are mere speculation. Those speculating have forgotten that serious members in the APC are opposing the purported move.”
He added that if Adeleke continues to deliver on the expectations of Osun people, he has no doubt the governor would be re-elected on the PDP platform.
Turning attention to the broader implications of the defections, Moro noted that many of the politicians now leaving had no major electoral impact during the 2023 general elections.
“All these people who are threatening to defect in sympathy with Atiku Abubakar where were they in 2023? Yet, the PDP performed most terribly in the 2023 election,” he said. “Out of all the House of Representatives constituencies in my state, PDP won just one. Out of the three senators, only I won. For the presidential election, APC won in my state. Yet, all these people now defecting to the ADC were there.”
He insisted that political outcomes are not determined by big names, but by credibility and service delivery. “What you do with the electorates and your antecedents will go a long way to determine your chances,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the senator expressed confidence in the party’s resurgence. “I can assure you that by the time the PDP comes out of all the processes we have engaged in, the party will bounce back. This party is still a big brand. That some people are leaving doesn’t mean PDP is dead. I can assure you that PDP will spring surprises.”
Moro said party structures were already being strengthened across the country. “Many states have had their congresses. What remains before the issue of the party’s national secretary took the centre stage were the zonal congresses and the national convention,” he noted. “On Thursday, the PDP will hold its NEC where a lot of issues will be resolved.”
He urged Nigerians to be patient and watch the PDP reorganise. “I think we should exercise a little patience, watch the PDP rearrange itself and disappoint those who think the PDP is dead.”
When asked about prospects of a coalition with other opposition parties, Moro was cautious, stating: “This is a new occurrence in Nigeria’s political landscape. If you look at America for instance, there are several political parties. But there are dominant political parties.”
