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 defections as "worrisome" and accused the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, of orchestrating the move.
“The minister is desperate to weaken the PDP’s structures ahead of the 2027 elections,” Sadauki alleged. “He is using state resources and personal wealth to lure our members, creating a leadership vacuum and damaging morale.”
The Forum condemned the alleged attempts to dismantle opposition structures, warning that such actions endanger Nigeria’s democracy. “Misleading members with false promises of greener pastures in the APC sets a dangerous precedent,” the statement read.
Reports from Zamfara indicate over 24,000 PDP members, including former executives and elders, have defected to the APC in recent weeks.
Despite the setbacks, the PDP insists it remains resilient. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed claims of decline, stating, “These defections are part of a plot to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. The PDP has faced such pressures before and emerged stronger.”
Meanwhile, speculation about potential defections by Governors Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa) has unsettled the party, though neither has confirmed any plans to leave. The PDP is now emphasizing unity and internal discipline to counter the challenges.