By Peterside Rejoice
Senator Aminu Iya Abass, who represents Adamawa Central in the Senate, says recent internal wranglings within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are a “family affair” that has now been resolved, stressing that the party is emerging stronger from its challenges.
Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly, the lawmaker dismissed the notion that the crisis had weakened the party, describing the resolution as a product of dialogue and internal understanding.
“There’s no magic if two children are fighting in a house. You settle it as a family. They went into a room, made decisions, and came out unified. That’s what happened. The family has settled,” he said.
According to him, no timeframe is too long when it comes to resolving family matters, particularly within a political party of PDP’s size. “Whether it took one month or a year, what matters is that the issues have been resolved. With the settlement reached yesterday, PDP is coming out stronger,” Abass stated.
On the wave of defections that have hit the party in recent months, the senator remained optimistic, stressing that the PDP’s grassroots presence across the country remains unmatched.
“Tell me one place in Nigeria where PDP is not known. People may defect, but politics is local. At the end of the day, everyone returns to their base, and PDP is home,” he declared.
Addressing questions about former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and alleged anti-party activities, Senator Abass appeared unbothered. He said defections and cross-party alliances have always been part of Nigerian politics and that the PDP has institutional mechanisms to deal with such issues if necessary.
“Even in 1999, people moved from one party to serve in another government. That’s not new. If someone is funding you, would he come and revoke your property? The party has structures like the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT) to address any internal matters,” he said.
The senator also called for increased investment in science and innovation, warning that Nigeria risks lagging behind the rest of the world if it does not prioritize research and development.
“America uses science to lead the world. Planes travel undetected that’s science. Nigeria must begin to take research seriously. Our current allocation of N100 billion for science is inadequate. If we are serious, we must increase the budget for R&D,” he said.
He maintained that while lawmakers do not prepare budgets, they have a duty to ensure proper implementation and value for money.
When asked about his own projects, the senator said he is currently focused on political duties. “I’m doing politics now. When it’s time for projects, follow me,” he said with a smile.
Senator Abass expressed confidence that the PDP remains Nigeria’s best path forward, pledging the party’s commitment to reflect the wishes and prayers of Nigerians in future elections.
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