“Storms do not break the mountain; they only wash away the weak soil around its base.”
The recent wave of defections from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should not be met with despair or bitterness. Rather, it should be perceived as a divine correction a moment of cleansing and renewal. In every human institution, there comes a time when the chaff must part from the grain, not to diminish its essence, but to reveal its true strength.
For the PDP, this is such a time. The outflow of members, though unsettling, provides an opportunity for deep introspection a chance to rebuild, re-strategize, and reconnect with the moral compass that once made it the heartbeat of Nigerian democracy. The party’s greatest power has never been in its numbers but in its bond with the grassroots, those loyal supporters whose belief in the PDP has weathered seasons of political turbulence.
At this crucial juncture, the leadership must rise above internal bickering and the politics of self-interest. It must embrace the rebirth of genuine leadership values, integrity, accountability, and a renewed sense of service. Only then will the party’s credibility be restored and its bond with the people rekindled.
It is not the storm that defines the strength of the ship, but the resolve of those who steer it.
PDP must remember that foundations, not storms, determine endurance. The trials of the moment should be taken as a test of resilience, not a sentence of decline. The forthcoming 2027 elections are already casting their shadows, and Nigerians are yearning for leadership that speaks to their pains, hopes, and aspirations. The people have not forgotten; they are watching, and their loyalty still lies where they believe their future can flourish.
Unity, therefore, must not be treated with levity. It is the lifeblood of any political movement that seeks to remain relevant. The leadership must put its house in order, heal internal divisions, and build a more inclusive and forward-looking structure.
Fire refines gold, and crisis refines conviction.
If the PDP can transform its current trials into a journey of self-purification, it will not merely recover, it will rise anew, stronger, wiser, and more united. Defection, in this light, may well be the divine wind blowing away the dust, revealing a sturdier foundation upon which the party can rebuild its glory and reclaim its place as the people’s hope.
It is a known fact that, real leaders don’t create followers, but they grow more leaders. That is what PDP is a notable of doing and they are still doing so because their leadership is always less about being right but more about doing what’s right.
Comrade Danladi Boyis Hassan, FIICA.