Former Senate President and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation Committee, Bukola Saraki, has cautioned that the party may witness further defections despite ongoing efforts to rebuild and strengthen its structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Saraki acknowledged the internal challenges facing the PDP but expressed optimism that ongoing reconciliation and restructuring efforts would help reposition the party for future success
He said, “PDP would likely see one or two more defections, and we should prepare ourselves for that; there is a possibility. We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP. We would probably see maybe one or two governors who will defect, and we might see some senators who will defect.
However, he viewed the timing of the crisis as a potential advantage, noting that it provides the PDP with ample time to regroup, address internal issues, and strengthen its foundation before the next election cycle gains momentum.
“For some of us, this happening early in PDP is an advantage. We are lucky that this is not happening, let’s say, late 2026; we would not even have had time to recover and regroup,” he said.
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“We have just under two years to the election, and we are lucky to have that. I think, with a lot of commitment and understanding, it is not a lost cause.
“A party with over 26 years of history that has been around, the largest party, we will definitely have low times like this.”
Despite the turbulence at the national level, Saraki said the PDP remains strong at the grassroots and across state structures.
“When you go round the country, the state chapters, the local government chapters, the party is still very strong in the grassroots. In some areas in the country, they are not even aware of what is happening at our level, in Abuja.
“The reactions we are seeing at the grassroots give us a lot of encouragement. But what we need to do is to get to the bottom and start to build.”
He added that the party is already laying the groundwork for the 2027 elections but warned that the stakes go beyond just party survival.
“This is not just about resolving today’s issues. It’s about building for the future. The next convention must not be business as usual. We must bring in new, younger faces who represent the future of this party.
“If PDP fails, Nigeria edges closer to a one-party state. And that would be a disaster for democracy.”
 Reconciliation Committee, Bukola Saraki, has cautioned that the party may witness further defections despite ongoing efforts to rebuild and strengthen its structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.){kind=link}