The Democratic Front (TDF) has attributed the wave of defections currently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to longstanding internal turmoil, rather than any orchestrated move by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weaken the opposition.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman of the group, Malam Danjuma Muhammad, stated that the internal structure and leadership failures within the PDP were responsible for the party’s declining unity and influence.
“We are, indeed, disappointed that some opposition figures in the country have accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu of igniting rancour among its members.
“Notable in the ongoing politics of deceit and blackmail are leaders of the opposition PDP whose selfish lust for power triggered a major crisis that led to implosion in the PDP.
“TDF is not oblivious of the fact that the PDP has been consistently ravaged by a self-inflicted crisis since it was defeated by the APC in the 2015 presidential election,” said the group.
According to TDF, since losing the presidency nearly a decade ago, the PDP has struggled to regain cohesion and has consistently failed to produce a consensus presidential candidate, further cementing its reputation as a fractured political platform.
“The recent gale of defection that hit the PDP in Delta was not as a result of any imaginary influence or interference of President Tinubu, or the APC as alleged by opposition.
“It is a show of protestation by some members of the party against the scheming of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to remain perpetually its presidential standard bearer, against the dictates of the party’s internal democracy.
“We are also of the view that the relevant section of the constitution that guarantees individual freedom of association, is not exclusively limited to any individual or group,” said TDF.
The group emphasized that all citizens are constitutionally free to associate with any political body of their choosing, and that the defection of PDP members in Delta State should not be politicized or viewed through a lens of manipulation.
“Therefore, the defection of PDP members in Delta State to APC should be seen within the context of their legitimate rights to freely associate with any group or party of their choice.
“It is our belief that claims of a looming one-party state by the opposition are spurious, baseless and unfounded.
“The collapse of Atiku’s political coalition against President Tinubu was not based on external interference by anyone but a direct consequence of the mischief, which the coalition represented,” said the group.
The TDF urged opposition leaders to abandon politics driven by personal interest and animosity, which it said led to the downfall of the coalition formed by Atiku Abubakar to challenge the current administration.
