Former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has advised the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to exercise caution in re-admitting former members who defected to other parties, describing them as “nomadic politicians” responsible for much of the party’s internal instability.
Speaking at a PDP Consultative Conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, Aliyu warned that the return of such individuals, who have a history of political defection, only undermines party unity and discipline.
“Both the chairman and the chairman of the governors’ forum have been very diplomatic, saying ‘come back, come back’. No. You don’t invite nomadic politicians back into your party,” he said. “These are people with a record of party-hopping, and they contributed significantly to our crisis.”
Aliyu recalled how many candidates who emerged during the PDP’s Port Harcourt convention were former defectors, warning the party against repeating the same mistake. He traced the PDP’s major setbacks, especially between 2013 and 2014, to indiscipline and self-interest taking precedence over collective goals.
“We cannot keep allowing the black sheep to destroy what we are trying to build. The most shocking period was 2019,” he noted, referring to the role some defectors played in undermining the party’s electoral prospects.
Aliyu called for the PDP to prioritize rewarding loyal members rather than offering political rehabilitation to those who left during turbulent times. He reminded party leaders that the PDP constitution requires returnees to “join the queue” rather than be given immediate prominence.
He urged the party to commit to “principled politics,” even if that meant short-term setbacks at the polls, insisting that values and loyalty should matter more than opportunistic victories.
In a related matter, Aliyu also called on Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, to ensure compliance with the court ruling that reinstated Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, to the Senate.
Meanwhile, PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, reiterated that the party remains open to former members seeking to return.
“Our doors remain open to those who wish to come back,” Damagum said. “It is my hope that in their return, they rediscover themselves. After all, we are still the party that gave many of them their first political home.”
Damagum acknowledged past internal fractures—particularly the one in 2013—and said while the party has suffered self-inflicted wounds, it remains the most viable platform for restoring power to the people.
Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed, also took a firm stance, urging defectors to stop “de-marketing” the PDP—the very party through which many of them rose to political prominence.
“You cannot be in PDP and be in coalition with another party. Coalition is an aberration. You cannot belong to two places. You cannot be a hermaphrodite—you cannot be a man and a woman at the same time,” he stated.
Mohammed said that while the PDP respects its elders and former members, it cannot afford to tolerate indiscipline that threatens party cohesion.
“Some of them left and caused our defeat in 2015. Yet we accepted them again. Some became governors, some took tickets and disappeared. Only in PDP do you get that. But still, we respected them,” he added.
Former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki also weighed in, urging members not to leave the party in frustration.
“I speak as someone who left this party in anger before. But anger does not solve leadership problems,” Saraki said. “Mistakes have been made, but should we abandon this party? Other parties also have their issues.”
He called on members to remain committed based on ideology and vision, not resentment or temporary setbacks.
The consultative conference served as a platform for open dialogue on the future of the PDP amid increasing political realignment ahead of future elections.
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