Former Kwara State Governor, Senator Bukola Saraki, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not take the coalition of opposition parties under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for granted.

Saraki, who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, told the Presidency that time is running out on the 2013 budget.

He spoke to reporters in Abuja on various national issues.

The lawmaker, who is a member of the PDP, said it would be costly for the party to take APC for granted.

Although he said APC would contend with some challenges, he added that the fact that the parties came together to form APC had created a two-party state, somehow.

He noted that the fact that APC was formed for the sole purpose of wresting power from the PDP made it imperative for PDP not to take the coalition for granted.

Said he: "In theory, if four or five parties put their forces together, they mean to be stronger.

"But in practice, to me it is not based on any ideology, it is based on some kind of understanding.

"So, my initial feeling is that they are going to have challenges, but at the same time, as a party, we should not take them for granted.

"The fact that they have come together means that we are having something like a two party state.

"Because all that is being done is to wrest power from PDP. So, PDP must take it seriously.

"But they would have challenges. I think it is too early because it is just a pronouncement.

"When we talk about development of the party, the principles and its administration, that is where the challenge is going to come from.

"Then you can ask me the question down the line, say in six months when I begin to see the chapters being set up.

"Where in a state you have ACN, CPC, ANPP in a place in Kano, let me see how this APC will work in Kano; whether it would remain APC or A would go one way, P would go one way and C would go another way.

"If APC can stay in Kano, then I will tell you that we need to sit up, but my feelings, going by history, I think that A would stay away, P would stay away and C would stay away. C would not give to A and A would not give to P, and at the end of the day, they would part ways.

"But it is good for democracy because we as the ruling party, it would keep us on our toes because we know that this is a formidable party.

"It is just when you are hoping that a marriage does not work because you know that if it works it is a greater challenge.

"It is too early. The easy part is just to pronounce it. The more difficult part is how it is going to work."