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Saraki Says ‘No Cause for Alarm’ After Wave of PDP Defections. Reality or Denial?
The recent wave of defections from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), particularly the exit of high-profile figures in Delta State, has reignited questions about the party’s cohesion and long-term viability.
On Wednesday, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, immediate past Delta Governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Ifeanyi Okowa, and other party leaders in the state quit the opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
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In response, former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in a statement on Thursday, offered some reassurances to fellow PDP members that there was “no cause for alarm.” Many observers have viewed his remarks as an attempt at political damage control, but beneath the surface lies a party grappling with an identity crisis.
Saraki has framed the defections as part of a necessary “rebirth” of the PDP, signalling that internal challenges are a prelude to renewal. However, this optimistic spin does little to obscure the fact that the departure of a running mate and other key operatives in a strategic state like Delta reflects deeper fractures within the party.
Former Delta Governor and PDP presidential running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, was part of the PDP defectors earlier this week
These are not routine political realignments but indicators of structural instability and eroding confidence in party leadership ahead of the 2027 general election.
The significance of Delta State cannot be overstated. As a politically consequential region, its loss weakens the PDP’s regional dominance and national relevance. When such a stronghold is breached, it sends a message that the party is struggling to retain its foundational bases. More broadly, it reflects the party’s diminishing capacity to serve as a unifying platform amid Nigeria’s evolving political currents.
Incidentally, about a week before Oborevwori’s defection, the party’s governors ruled out forming a coalition to take on President Bola Tinubu in the next election, even as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, pursues this endeavour.
Former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu
The last—and only—opposition party to defeat an incumbent president in Nigeria’s history was a product of a coalition. President Tinubu clinched victory after winning less than 40% of the total votes, indicating that a coalition of opposition parties could have defeated him. Therefore, it is difficult to see how the PDP can successfully take on the ruling APC without forming an opposition alliance.
Moreover, Saraki’s emphasis on strengthening institutions is a necessary reminder in a Nigerian political culture often driven by personalities rather than ideologies. Nigerian politicians are known for switching parties at will based on personal interests, rarely for ideological reasons.
For example, there are reports that Oborevwori’s defection to the APC was borne out of political survival, not a desire to better serve Delta State. Therefore, building robust institutional frameworks may be the only way to counter this recurring instability.
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, led a wave of PDP defections in Delta earlier this week
Time, as Saraki rightly notes, remains a factor. With two years until the next general elections, the PDP still has a window to regroup. But rebuilding trust, recruiting credible candidates, and developing a coherent policy platform will demand more than platitudes—it requires a systematic overhaul of the party’s internal structures and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.
Equally pressing is the broader national context in which these events are unfolding. Saraki’s observation about the “collapse of leadership values” speaks to a larger malaise in Nigeria’s political environment, where personal ambition often supersedes public service. His caution about the emergence of a de facto one-party state should not be dismissed lightly. A healthy democracy depends on viable opposition, and the PDP, for all its flaws, remains a crucial counterweight to the ruling party.
Ultimately, the PDP’s future depends on its ability to forge a unified opposition, restore national and regional influence, and offer a compelling vision to a sceptical electorate. Reaching out to grassroots constituencies—especially young people and women—will be key to revitalising its support base. The question is not whether the PDP can survive this crisis—it is whether it can evolve in response to it.
While Saraki’s rhetoric may temporarily calm party loyalists, the PDP faces a profound test. Success lies not in denying the severity of its challenges but in confronting them with resolve and clarity of purpose.
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Whether the party fails or succeeds in its pursuit to be a credible opposition to the APC remains to be seen.
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