The Northern Elders Unity Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed concern over the recent wave of defections by party members to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in Zamfara and Kaduna states.

In a statement issued after a consultative meeting with PDP elders from Kaura Namoda, Zurmi, Tsafe, and Bungudu local government areas, the Forum?s National Secretary, Dr. Abbas Sadauki, described the development as worrisome and detrimental to the party?s stability in the Northwest region.

Dr. Sadauki alleged that the defections were largely influenced by the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, whom he accused of using state resources and personal wealth to induce PDP members.

?The minister appears desperate to weaken the PDP?s structures in Zamfara and across the North-West, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

?His antecedents of using power and appointments to coerce our loyal members have created a leadership vacuum and dampened morale within our ranks,? Sadauki said.

The Forum condemned what it described as an attempt to ?dismantle opposition structures? in the region, warning that such actions threaten Nigeria?s democratic development.

?Dismantling opposition groups in whatever form is a dangerous precedent. Many of our members are being misled with false promises of greener pastures in the APC, which does not bode well for the future of democracy in Nigeria,? the statement added.

Dr. Sadauki urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution the minister, alleging that his activities were aimed at ?uprooting the democratic structures that promote fairness, justice, and cohesion in the country.?

Reports from Zamfara indicate that more than 24,000 PDP members have defected to the APC in recent weeks, including several former executives and party elders across six local government areas.

Meanwhile, the PDP has said it will not succumb to pressure despite reports of fresh defections to the APC, insisting that the opposition remains committed to defending Nigeria?s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party?s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who spoke in Abuja, described the spate of defections as part of a deliberate effort to weaken the opposition and tilt the country towards a one-party state.

?No amount of blackmail or harassment can silence the PDP. These defections are moves orchestrated by those who want to turn Nigeria into a one-party state,? he said.

Ologunagba dismissed speculation that the party was losing ground, stressing that the PDP had faced similar challenges in the past and always emerged stronger. ?This is not the first time we have faced pressure. Each time, we have regrouped and come out stronger,? he added.

Recent reports suggest that Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu and Douye Diri of Bayelsa are considering leaving the PDP, which has unsettled party ranks. However, neither has confirmed any intention to defect. The speculation has fuelled concerns within the opposition, prompting a renewed focus on unity and internal discipline. (The Guardian)

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