A two time governorship aspirant in Edo State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), High Chief Jacob Egietseme Idinye, has reacted to the assertions made by Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba in his open letter to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar with respect to the gale of defections in the party and other sundry issues.
Idinye described the defections of some of the PDP chieftains to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as an advantage to the party to separate moles from the real patriots, loyal, disciplined and committed members who believed and cherished the principles and ideals of the party.
The Etsako East born politician whilst reacting directly to Dr Sani Sa’idu Baba noted that, Atiku Abubakar was better prepared to champion the ongoing political coalition, adding that he had renewed appeal for a unified political front that was focused on ousting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 elections.
According to a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Lagos, Idinye said:
“As the country inches closer to another round of elections, with just two years remaining before the 2027 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Young Progressives Party, Labour Party and the Coalition for United Political Parties have reassured the public that the opposition parties would unite to form a formidable front capable of effectively challenging the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to ensure Nigerians receive the best possible leadership and governance. And thankfully Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is one of the driving forces to attain this desirable goal for the greater good of Nigeria.
“From the present look of things, political defection has become a common trend in Nigeria, whereby few politicians without principles and integrity are seen to be switching parties at will. In recent time a significant number of politicians, mainly from PDP, had already switched allegiance to the ruling APC. For us in PDP we are unperturbed because this has only created room for us to know who the moles are and I will also say it is, good riddance to bad rubbish. And I appeal to all well meaning Nigerians including the political elites not to allow democracy to deteriorate in this manner. There should be a law to prevent political defections, and politics and political associations should be based on principles.
“Meanwhile, I carefully read Dr Sani Sa’idu Baba’s heart-to-heart and candid open letter to His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and I want to assure him that Turaki Adamawa is not a paper weight politician, he can seamlessly identify those who are not loyal in the party, and also the few moles who are still in the party, he has the capacity to handle such individuals accordingly, so the possibility of such individuals throwing him under the bus or throwing a spanner in the works can never arise no matter how vicious they may be.
“However, on the viability of the coalition, Alhaji Atiku has thoroughly done his home work, he is a man full of tact and wisdom, and neither is he selfish. Atiku is a pan Nigeria whose primary goal is to see Nigeria progress and succeed. Meanwhile, political coalitions are usually forged to deflate asymmetrical power relations between ruling and opposition parties, to enable the latter to fairly confront the former in elections. The hyperactive engagements and posturings of Nigeria’s leading opposition figures are tailored towards the formation of such a coalition to engage the ruling party in 2027 and no doubt that is where the desires of the Nigerian voting masses are, having gone through untold hardship, poverty and deprivation since the inception of APC-led administration.
“I also want to assure Dr Sani Sa’idu Baba that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is passionately and consistently addressing leadership challenges within the PDP with strategic care and inclusive dialogue, both at the national level and, most importantly, at the grassroots. He is never neglecting the grassroots at this sensitive time and he’s never alienating the party’s foundational support base. Atiku is an enabler of a stable, united front built on transparent leadership structures in our great party and he is known for empowering local stakeholders in restoring confidence and also in strengthening the PDP’s chances in future electoral contests.
“Speaking in a more patriotic tone, I will say, for our democracy to be strengthened and robust, we need a strong and virile opposition, and I think the ruling party should be conscious of this basic truth. A one-party state is essentially a dictatorship. Therefore, there is a need to review our laws. There should be a deliberate effort to ensure that laws are in place to discourage the movement from one party to another, particularly to the ruling party. The political class must act to prevent disillusionment, ensuring Nigerians continue to value democracy and its virtues. So I therefore thank Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba, your points are well noted.”
