By Naija247news Political Desk A former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Aliyu, has advised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to urgently resolve its deepening internal crisis or consider merging with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to remain politically relevant.
Aliyu, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call during an interview on a national television programme on Tuesday, against the backdrop of sustained defections and leadership disputes rocking the main opposition party.
“I call on my brothers and sisters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to put their acts together. In my opinion, the Peoples Democratic Party should merge with the African Democratic Congress,” he said.
The former lawmaker argued that if the PDP was truly facing political decline, a merger could offer a pathway to revival and renewed relevance within Nigeria’s democratic space.
“The way things are going, either they come together among themselves and make concessions, or they risk further decline. If they truly want democracy in this country to thrive, concessions must be made,” Aliyu said.
Aliyu described the state of the PDP as troubling, stressing that Nigeria needs a strong and functional opposition to ensure accountability and effective governance.
“Honestly, it’s sad that the Peoples Democratic Party appears to be dying. We need vibrant opposition parties to challenge the government so that Nigerians can get the best from the system,” he said.
He emphasised that it was not the responsibility of the APC to engineer unity among opposition parties, noting that political survival rests on internal discipline and consensus.
Drawing parallels with the formation of the APC, Aliyu recalled how several opposition parties came together to unseat the PDP in 2015.
“Remember the All Progressives Congress was formed from a coalition of parties like the ANPP, CPC and ACN. They came together because they shared a purpose,” he said.
“If the PDP is struggling today, why can’t it consider merging with the African Democratic Congress?”
Aliyu maintained that leaders within both the PDP and ADC were respected Nigerians who had contributed significantly to the country’s political development.
“These are people who have served this country in different capacities and deserve respect,” he said.
The APC chieftain also dismissed suggestions that the ruling party feared opposition realignments, insisting that Nigeria belonged to all citizens and not to any individual leader.
“The country does not belong to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It belongs to all of us,” he said.
Aliyu’s remarks come amid a wave of defections of prominent PDP figures — including governors, federal lawmakers and party stalwarts — to the APC, as well as an unresolved leadership crisis with rival factions laying claim to the party’s national structure.
The PDP, which ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2015, has in recent months struggled to project unity and direction as the 2027 general elections draw closer.
Babatunde AKinsola ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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