The new coalition can be likened to a mere political experiment, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, has said.

He said some of those who left the party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are already returning.

According to him, some of them even claim to have never left at all.

Damagum and other party leaders at the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting were optimistic that ongoing efforts to reposition the party will ensure a successful national convention, the return of old members and the influx of new ones.

The acting chairman said: “I must address the matter of a so-called coalition recently formed, which includes some defecting members of our party.

“On this issue, I am pleased to report that this political experiment is nothing to lose sleep over.

“They say, ‘a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.’ Some persons have recently learned this truth in the most uncomfortable way.

“Many who jumped on the coalition bandwagon have already returned to our fold; some even claim they never left and merely attended a meeting – we accept their confessions without prejudice.

“Let me add that this reversal is not limited to PDP members alone; individuals from other political parties who initially joined this coalition have realised that the venture is ill-fated and their swift return is proof of this.”

Also yesterday, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen said the coalition is a desperate attempt by power seekers that lack ideology.

He, however, cautioned that the emergence of the ADC necessitates a proactive response from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tajudeen spoke at the APC National Executive Committee meeting at the Presidential Villa, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi.

He said: “While this poses a challenge, it is a desperate coalition attempting to replicate our 2013 APC merger.

“Their unity appears opportunistic, and their lack of a clear ideology weakens their appeal compared to our proven and tested governance.

“Smaller parties, such as the Labour Party and the NNPP, are clearly in decline. The Labour Party’s momentum has drastically diminished. The NNPP buckles beneath bitter bickering and internal conflicts.

“The ADC is desperately courting other parties, such as the SDP and PRP. (The Nation)