Murray-Bruce blames Jonathan’s aides for Amaechi, five governors’ 2015 PDP exit

Former Bayelsa senator Ben Murray-Bruce said former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aides gave poor, repetitive advice and ignored repeated warnings from key PDP governors about growing discontent. He said the aides failed to treat the signs with urgency, offering what he called silly advice to the Commander-in-Chief, which pushed Rotimi Amaechi, then Minister of Transportation, and five other governors to leave the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015.

This account sheds light on the internal party crisis that preceded the 2015 general elections, when a bloc of PDP governors defected to the All Progressives Congress, helping Muhammadu Buhari win the presidency. The episode shows how ignoring internal dissent can trigger major political realignments that shape national outcomes.

Murray-Bruce recalled sitting with those aides and being amazed at their incompetence and lack of concern for the people they served. He did not name the specific governors but noted that their dissatisfaction was clear and persistent.

What lessons should today’s political leaders draw from this episode about listening to dissenting voices and addressing internal grievances before they escalate into mass defections?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/06/29/why-amaechi-five-govs-dumped-jonathan-left-pdp-in-2015-murray-bruce/