Kehinde Fajobi
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its intention to reach out to former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urging him to rejoin the party that played a pivotal role in his political career.
The party’s acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagun, disclosed this in an interview with the BBC, responding to Kwankwaso’s recent assertion that the PDP is “dead” and no longer capable of achieving electoral success.
Damagun maintained that the PDP remains a resilient force in Nigerian politics and is open to welcoming back former members, including Kwankwaso.
“People are entitled to their opinions, but I want to remind him of the past. When they left the PDP in 2015, if the party didn’t die back then, during a time they thought they had weakened it, I don’t see why anyone would claim it is dead now,” Damagun said.
He further argued, “Let’s not forget that the PDP remains the only party capable of winning elections if you exclude the ruling APC.”
Damagun stated that Kwankwaso’s achievements in politics were largely tied to the PDP and described the senator’s recent remarks as unfair to the platform that once supported him.
He highlighted the party’s enduring relevance, saying, “Even after 26 years, the PDP remains strong under the same name. We have governors and senators across all regions of Nigeria.
“Even if four other parties were to merge, they still wouldn’t match the PDP’s strength.”
Addressing Kwankwaso’s claims of marginalisation within the PDP, Damagun acknowledged that some of the grievances were valid.
He revealed that he personally tried to mediate during Kwankwaso’s initial plans to leave the party but was unsuccessful.
“That said, there is no party better than the PDP for Kwankwaso. The party nurtured his political career and brought him to where he is today. We still hope he will return to work with us to rebuild our party and confront this oppressive government,” Damagun remarked.
The PDP chairman expressed optimism about reconciling with Kwankwaso despite his current dissatisfaction, adding that the senator’s aspirations might not be achievable in his current party.
“The PDP has always been a party that welcomes back any of its members who left in anger. Whenever they return, we give them opportunities just like everyone else,” Damagun concluded.