Former Governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, has cautioned the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against welcoming back defectors, labelling them as “nomadic politicians” who have historically undermined party unity.
Speaking at a PDP Consultative Conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, Aliyu criticised the tendency to invite back members who had previously abandoned the party for other platforms, describing such moves as counterproductive.
He recalled that during the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt, many of those who clinched candidacies were former defectors, whom he blamed for escalating internal crises.
“The National Chairman and the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum have been diplomatic in saying ‘come back, come back’. No – you don’t invite nomadic politicians back into your fold. These individuals have a track record of opportunistic movement,” Aliyu said pointedly.
The former governor identified indiscipline and selfish ambitions as root causes of the party’s setbacks, particularly between 2013 and 2014, stressing that accommodating disloyal actors would only deepen the cracks within the PDP.
“We cannot continue tolerating individuals who repeatedly sabotage the party’s progress. The most disheartening period was in 2019, when their actions dealt a severe blow to our electoral prospects,” he lamented.
Aliyu emphasised the importance of rewarding steadfast party members rather than defectors, urging strict adherence to the PDP constitution, which mandates that returnees must “join the queue” rather than reclaiming previous privileges.
He concluded by calling for a recommitment to principled, value-driven politics, asserting that electoral success must not come at the cost of ideological compromise.
