Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has called on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to stop blaming others for the wave of defections hitting the party, saying the crisis is self-inflicted. Okechukwu stated this while reacting to recent complaints by the PDP leadership, who accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of masterminding defections of its key members.

In his statement, Okechukwu said that the PDP’s current troubles stem from its own lack of internal democracy and poor leadership decisions. He noted that the party failed to learn from its past mistakes and has continued to ignore the will of its members. According to him, the PDP “sowed the seed of its destruction” through arrogance, imposition of candidates, and disregard for fairness and equity.

The APC chieftain argued that the mass defections are a result of frustration among PDP members who feel alienated by the leadership. He said, “The defections are not caused by the APC or any external force; they are a consequence of PDP’s failure to keep its house in order. Politics is about inclusion and fairness, and once these are absent, people will naturally leave.”

Okechukwu also reminded the PDP that the APC faced similar challenges in the past but managed to rebuild through reconciliation and collective effort. He urged the opposition party to focus on self-examination instead of playing the blame game. “Instead of crying wolf, the PDP should conduct an honest internal audit and rebuild its structure if it truly wants to remain relevant ahead of 2027,” he said.

He concluded by advising PDP leaders to embrace unity and transparency, warning that continued internal wrangling could further weaken the party’s chances in future elections.