If PDP destroys itself, it’s to our advantage – APC chieftain, Farouk Aliyu

In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Farouk Aliyu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, addressed the internal turmoil currently fracturing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Aliyu asserted that while the governing party is not responsible for the opposition’s internal conflicts, it inevitably stands to benefit from them. He stated plainly, “if PDP decides to destroy their party on their own, it is to APC’s advantage,” while making it clear that the ruling party has no hand in the opposition’s self-inflicted wounds.  

Aliyu was quick to dismiss concerns that the APC aims to consolidate power into a one-party state, emphasizing that such a goal is not on the agenda of President Bola Tinubu or the party leadership. “No, we in the APC don’t have plans to make this country a one party state. No. And I’m confirming that to you that not the president, not us in the party, not the leadership, not the leaders of the party,” he confirmed. His comments were intended to distance the APC from accusations that it is actively working to dismantle the democratic space by weakening the opposition.  

Tracing the roots of the current crisis, Aliyu pointed to the PDP’s 2023 convention and the fallout from their presidential primary. He noted that the friction began when the party’s standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, deviated from a committee’s recommendation regarding his vice-presidential pick. According to Aliyu, “Somewhere along the line, they agreed on Nyesom Wike, and then his wisdom changed to another person. So Wike went berserk.” He used this example to illustrate that the grievances currently paralyzing the PDP originated entirely within their own ranks.  

The APC chieftain argued that the current friction is a result of poor internal management rather than external interference. “What’s the problem in PDP? If you remember very well, Nigerians can remember that what happened was, during their convention in 2023 I think… So that’s their making, not our making, not the making of APC,” he explained. By highlighting these specific events, he suggested that the opposition is suffering the consequences of its own leadership decisions and failure to maintain party unity.

Concluding his assessment, Aliyu reiterated that while the APC respects the democratic process, it cannot be blamed for capitalizing on the opposition’s struggles. He maintained that the responsibility for the PDP’s survival lies solely with its own members, rather than the ruling party. “However, the issues in PDP are not the making of APC,” he insisted, suggesting that until the opposition resolves its internal disputes, the political landscape will continue to tilt in favor of the APC