The defection of Senator Bukola Saraki from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State is the culmination of a long drawn internal power struggle, which the PDP has had to contend with as a result of its strategic importance in the Nigerian political scene.

But the decision is clearly a mistake as the future will tell, despite the fact that the exit might have provided a momentary satisfaction to the high-profile defectors. How fairly principled and altruistic the struggle might have assumed if the G-7 governors and the entirety of the New PDP leaders and followers had remained in the party to continue to prosecute their battles for a better and more democratic political party to what the PDP is currently. As time goes on, their position, in my view, would have gained in strength and appeal, and probably generate certain compulsions in well-meaning sympathetic quarters, and, therefore, gain a reasonable measure of concessions from the party leadership, no matter how recalcitrant it may be.

However, the sense one gets of the crisis is really that of a group of self-seekers masquerading as conscientious workers in the vineyard of democracy. For the three months that it lasted, the New PDP operated more like terrorists’ organisation with sinister political motives. It was basically an outlaw. There were no clear directions beyond grieving and hectoring.

Yet, its founders and encouragers are politicians of remarkable pedigree, antecedent and experience, who ought to have realised that what they were doing is not done.

Quite clearly, because of the standing of some of the leading politicians from Kwara State in the dissident movement, like Senator Saraki, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the profundity of the issues, events and their outcomes is re-configuring internal Kwara politics in ways that observers find intensely interesting. A seeming innocuous act of defection from the Kwara State PDP has provoked an unprecedented rash of defections away from Senator Saraki and his group, with the rump of the party daily welcoming new and old members (even leaders of APC) into the PDP, especially those who, for ideological and political reasons, had vowed never to have anything doing with Saraki’s hegemony.

And so, by an ironic twist of fate or a natural process of reversal, the PDP which, until now, had exhausted its goodwill and appeal in Kwara and was suffering a decline in popular consciousness, is rejuvenating powerfully, gradually and steadily, while transforming into a party that now promises the masses a fulfilment of their long-standing aspiration for change.

Ultimately, the defection is giving a clear perspective to the widely-held view that the problem in Kwara is peculiarly one of leadership, rather than those of issues that may be associated with the choice of any political party.

Therefore, with able and respected leaders in the state, PDP will soon be properly re-organised and repositioned for the challenges of the future.

THE defection of Senator Bukola Saraki from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State is the culmination of a long drawn internal power struggle, which the PDP has had to contend with as a result of its strategic importance in the Nigerian political scene.

But the decision is clearly a mistake as the future will tell, despite the fact that the exit might have provided a momentary satisfaction to the high-profile defectors. How fairly principled and altruistic the struggle might have assumed if the G-7 governors and the entirety of the New PDP leaders and followers had remained in the party to continue to prosecute their battles for a better and more democratic political party to what the PDP is currently. As time goes on, their position, in my view, would have gained in strength and appeal, and probably generate certain compulsions in well-meaning sympathetic quarters, and, therefore, gain a reasonable measure of concessions from the party leadership, no matter how recalcitrant it may be.

However, the sense one gets of the crisis is really that of a group of self-seekers masquerading as conscientious workers in the vineyard of democracy. For the three months that it lasted, the New PDP operated more like terrorists’ organisation with sinister political motives. It was basically an outlaw. There were no clear directions beyond grieving and hectoring.

Yet, its founders and encouragers are politicians of remarkable pedigree, antecedent and experience, who ought to have realised that what they were doing is not done.

Quite clearly, because of the standing of some of the leading politicians from Kwara State in the dissident movement, like Senator Saraki, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje and Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the profundity of the issues, events and their outcomes is re-configuring internal Kwara politics in ways that observers find intensely interesting. A seeming innocuous act of defection from the Kwara State PDP has provoked an unprecedented rash of defections away from Senator Saraki and his group, with the rump of the party daily welcoming new and old members (even leaders of APC) into the PDP, especially those who, for ideological and political reasons, had vowed never to have anything doing with Saraki’s hegemony.

And so, by an ironic twist of fate or a natural process of reversal, the PDP which, until now, had exhausted its goodwill and appeal in Kwara and was suffering a decline in popular consciousness, is rejuvenating powerfully, gradually and steadily, while transforming into a party that now promises the masses a fulfilment of their long-standing aspiration for change.

Ultimately, the defection is giving a clear perspective to the widely-held view that the problem in Kwara is peculiarly one of leadership, rather than those of issues that may be associated with the choice of any political party.

Therefore, with able and respected leaders in the state, PDP will soon be properly re-organised and repositioned for the challenges of the future.

Mr Saka Salawu, 
Basin Area, Ilorin.