PDP, AP members rush to APC
President-elect, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) (middle), former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar (left) and Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, during a courtesy call to the palace in Yola, Adamawa State …yesterday
• Oke, Sheba, Odu, others desert ruling party in Ondo• Dankwambo’s aides, Onoja quit in Gombe, Benue • Defectors worship gods of the belly, says Aliyu
LESS than two weeks after the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), was declared president-elect, strong wind of defection is blowing the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
In continuation of week-long trend, high-ranking members of the PDP — serving and former lawmakers as well as party chieftains — across the country yesterday moved over to the APC in a final blow on party discipline and ideology.
The situation forced the Senate President, David Mark, and his deputy, Ike Ekwewremadu, to issue reassuring statements to party members, insisting that they were ready to be the ‘last men standing’ for the ruling party, which, a day earlier raised the alarm that the APC was plotting a one-party state.
Yesterday, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, the Niger State governor, described as unfortunate and complete lack of political ideology the defection by some members of the party, saying that the defectors are suffering from poverty of integrity, morality and principle. Aliyu said: “I would rather resign from politics than defect.
Those defecting from the PDP, based on the outcome of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, lack principles of integrity and morality; they are, indeed, stomach politicians.
“For principles of integrity, morality, we have chosen to remain in PDP. I heard people insinuating that I have dumped my party for the APC. It is a lie, I will never do such a thing.” Specifically, former National Legal Adviser of the PDP and gubernatorial candidate of the 2012 election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, yesterday led a contingent of old members, mainly from the South Senatorial District, to decamp to the APC. The move came barely three days to the State House of Assembly elections.
The former PDP scribe led the contingent of politicians from his senatorial district to pitch tent with the APC at the party’s secretariat at Oyemekun Road, Akure, the state capital. Oke said: “I resisted the wind of change that was blowing, until it was almost trying to blow me out.
Now, I have surrendered; I can resist no more, and I have come. “I have come over, not because the PDP lost election, I have come over because the wind of change that is blowing across Nigeria must blow in Ondo State.” Oyo State yesterday was also greeted with the gale of defection, thereby aggravating the general fear about Nigeria inching close to a near-one party state after the APC had raised the bar on virility of opposition at the national level.
A serving member of the House of Representatives, two former members (PDP and Accord Party), a PDP gubernatorial aspirant and a women leader, former local council chairmen of the PDP and thousands of their supporters yesterday defected the) in Oyo State, claiming that their future political destinies would be better served under the party.
They are Afeez Jimoh, Folake Olunloyo-Osinowo, Tayo Sarumi, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, Chief (Mrs.) Ayoka Lawani, Mr. Waheed Adeleke, former Chairman, Iseyin Local Council, among other party leaders from the Accord, Labour Party and PDP. They joined the party at an event held at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan yesterday.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, his counterpart from Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who represented Buhari and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, received the defectors.
Kwara State chapter of the PDP also suffered loss, as three former executive members announced their defection to the APC, citing alleged insincerity of the leadership. They also alleged that inhuman treatment was meted out to them and their political mentor Gbemisola Saraki, who reportedly defected yesterday.
In a press conference in Ilorin, they said their continued stay in PDP would render them politically irrelevant and thus rob them of the opportunities to contribute their quota to the development of the state and her people. Over 100 members of the PDP in Gombe State also dumped the party, just as in former Katsina State military administrator, General Lawrence Onoja (rtd) and former governorship aspirant, Dr. Mathias Oyigeya, crossed to the APC in Gombe.
Others who dumped the PDP at an event which took place at Jesus College Otukpo, include Chief Agbo Oga, former Chief of Staff to Senate President David Mark, Chief Mike Iduma, former state chairman of the party, Major Lawrence Ugbo (rtd), Peter Ochijele, former member of the State Executive Council, Chief John Ochoga and former Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Mike Inalegwu.
Others are Mrs. Theresa Ikwue, former Agatu and Okpokwu Local Council chairmen, as well as Chief Inalegwu Ode, former Chief Press Secretary to the governor. Among PDP members received by the leadership of the APC in Gombe are personal and special assistants to the state Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo.
Others are a member of the PDP Elders Committee in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Zamfara, two serving members of the State House of Assembly, member representing Yamaltu/Deba Federal Constituency, Shuaibu Galadima, Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Mamman Alkali, among others.
Mainwhile Barely one week after the All progressives Congress (APC) took over control of the Federal Government, series of defection has hit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State as former governor of the state, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, Provost of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen are the latest high profile members of the PDP in the state to have moved with reports of more to join the bandwagon.
Meanwhile the Benin Leaders of Thought and other leaders in the kingdom yesterday called on the people of Edo South to vote massively for the APC candidates in Saturday’s House of Assembly election and the remaining wards in the district for the Senatorial ticket to ensure the “Binis are in the mainstream at the state and national governments.”
In a news briefing where he announced his defection yesterday, Ikponmwen said: “Democracy is all about the people and thrives best only where the people can choose their leaders, reserving the right to change them when desirable and contributing at all time towards good governance.
Now that Nigerians have demonstrated their choice, it behoves all well meaning people to give full support to our chosen leader.” He told his numerous supporters that they should give his new party and government the same level of support they have offered the PDP.
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34 Comments
Let the Nigerian ruling elites know that some people who think differently and are not proxies of these neo-feudalists are waiting at a corner with iron brooms to take over to show how change is affected.
A cursory look at the gale of defection by politicians across the country to APC, shows that some of our political gladiators are not truly politicians worth their calling, but men and women who are hungry, looking for slightest opportunity to feed their stomach whenever the tides does not favour them. The same people will continue to move back and forth whenever their inordinate ambition are not met. This is an unprincipled way of playing politics.
politics is business in nigeria,they want money simple
A lot of our politicians are not principle or ideological in nature, but are after their stomach and how to milk Nigeria. I will encourage PDP members to remain steadfast and provide strong opposition to APC, in few years time those politicians will defect back. God bless Nigeria
It is quite good that all those politicians who pulled down PDP through their corrupt practices are now heading to Apc, in fact they are going to further raise the standard of corruption that already exist in APC
You lied. Our leader GMB is able
The future will tell
This is democracy people are free to associate with any party they like . There are many people in PDP before who have a different Ideology from PDP but who dont have an alternative now they have one . Ithink things will sort itself out with time.
The wind of CHANGE blowing across the length and breadth of Nigeria…
Please embrace it…
#change #betterlifeforNigerians
Bye Bye to PDP.
Old fat Belly Ugly Politician thinks they are smart, WIND of Change ,why not before the General election to change , stupid Politicians
Oga, Why e dey pain you nah?????
Any way bad belle it’s allowed sha
Please APC leader should be aware of this cross carpet s jingoism. Although
there is freedom of association if it is for the good of the Country, it is a
welcome scenario. God bless Nigeria the only Country I have as at now and no
other…
Nigerians voted for Buhari because of his stand against corruption. I am getting worried about all these corrupt cross carpeters who may try to prevent Buhari from fulfiling his promise to Nigerian voters. APC watch out, they are spies sent to create crises within the party.
No need to get worried. It is the leadership that is most important. If you have a strong and honest leader, the others would either follow his ways or find themselves in Kirikiri.
Correct
What these defections show is that Nigerian politicians are not principled and lack of ideology. It is very unfortunate that our politicians are jobless without any means of livelihood. They feel that being a member of PDP cannot guarantee them their daily pay and bread. What a calamity. From what is happening now, APC will soon explode and the center cannot hold any more. Buhari should be weary of these defections. it does not portend any good for him and the party. As for Nigerian political, it is not going to help to stabilize the polity because President Jonathan allowed the registration of APC in order to give a virile environment that would allow for strong opposition. But with this defections, PDP will be weakened and it will get to a point whereby APC would have lee way to do what it likes with no opposition. This must be checked by all means. PDP must be strong and resilience, work together to rebuild the party and hope to overturn its misfortune.
The law should changed to make defections more difficult…
When will Tom Ikimi and Fani Kayode return to APC?
The wave of defection by political prostitutes portrays Nigerian political migrants as feckless, unintelligent, uneducated, unprincipled, hungry, unreliable, untrustworthy bunch of individuals that are ready to capriciously display their imbecilityand idiocy in pursuit of their selfcentredness. If APC wants to remain credible, focused and convince Nigerians that it is ready for the much touted change, all the defectors must be rejected. Defection to APC would not enhance their chances of winning the Guber election rather it portrays APC as unserious and all-comers party. Caveat President Elect!
Belly politics, only in Nigeria
ABI ‘PDP UNA NEVER BEGIN HALA, YOU GO SUFFER NOR BE SMALL’ IT IS NOW PDP POWDER, DUST AND ASH. YOU MUST BE VERY ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, THAT IS IF YOU KNOW WHAT SHAME IS? THIS IS THE BIGGEST FALL IN HISTORY. I WARDED THAT IT WILL BE A VOLCANO, TSUNAMI A MAGNITUDE TEN EARTHQUAKE IN POLITICAL HISTORY. THEY LOST THE PRESIDENCY, THE SENATE, THE REPRESENTATIVES, ALL FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS, WITH VERY WIDE MARGIN. FROM THE SO CALLED LARGEST POLITICAL PARTY IN POWER IN AFRICA TO THE SMALLEST OPPOSITION PARTY. THIS IS A VERY HUGE CURSE FROM THE ALMIGHTY GOD. I WARNED THAT THOSE WHO THE GODS WANT TO DESTROY ARE FIRST MADE MAD AND IN THE CASE OF GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND THE PDP MADE VERY MAD. I ALSO WARNED AND TOLD ANY PERSON WHO WANTED TO LISTEN THAT WE THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE VERY LAST LAUGH AND THAT IT WILL BE A VERY SWEET AND A VERY LOUD LAUGH. A HA! HA!! HA HA HA!!!!
pig
Nigerians, Nigerians, quick money and decamping, decamping, shameless people. We need formidable opposition like Uk, USA, France, Germany, Australia, Canada. In these countries, politicians accept defeat, work and bounce back. Nigerians are shameless
The people are following the History of buhari political ship jumping:
1).2003 and 2007 presidential candidate under the platform of ANPP.
2).2011 left ANPP and joined CPC and became presidential candidate for 2011 under the platform of CPC
3).2015 left/merged CPC to form APC and became presidential candidate for 2015 election.
Buhari is not an example of a committed party member he has jumped ship three times in his 13 yrs political history. He is not a yard stick nor a model of loyalty to any political party.
I will not be surprised if he joins a different party or forms a new alliance for the 2019 presidential election once the nascent union of strange bedfellows called APC disintegrate over the looming unchecked party chieftain egos that is already haunting the flickering union.
He never for once join the ruling party – PDP. So educate yourself politically before making comments here. Have a nice day.
The Reason he never joined PDP was because the presidential Slot in PDP was never vacant, Buharis condition for jumping ship was to clinch the presidential slot which was his personal ambition, you cant fault those whose personal ambition is for ministerial appointment, board appointments, party appointments, Governorship, congress etc whose ambition will be better served in APC.
You are the one that need to more political education! this ship jumpers are following Buharis Example the only difference is in the political office they are seeking in their new parties they are jumping to.
Shameless Soulesss politicians. outright show of abysmal greed and dire need for relevance. such a shame.
STUPID FOOLS. TOMORROW IF PDP WINS AGAINS, THEY WILL AGAINS CHANGE PARTY. THEY ARE SO STUPID, THEY ARE MOVING PARTY, NOT KNOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE NEXT ELECTION – WHICH CAN FAVOUR ANY PARTY. ELECTION IS NOT ALL ABOUT PARTY. IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE CADIDATE THE ELECTORATES WANT. THIS DEFECTION DOES SHOW TO ALL, THAT NIGERIAN POLITICS IS NOT IDEALOGICALLY SOUND YET. DO THE PARTIES EVEN HAVE IDEALOGICAL BASE? NO WONDER THIS MESS!
THERE IS ONLY CHANGE OF BATON NOT IDEOLOGY. NIGERIANS WILL BE DISAPPOINTED FEW MONTHS DOWN THE LINE AS PDP DEFECTORS WILL SOON HIJACK APC AS THEY DID TO THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF PDP WHO WERE SIDELINED BY THE HIJACKERS FEW MONTHS AFTER 1998 ELECTIONS
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These gale of defection of known strongmen of the PDP to the APC is sheer madness. We can not have a virile opposition and a two party state in Nigeria like in the United States with massive defections of known party figures from the loosing party to the winning party. Say, in 2019, the PDP wins the centre the people will again defect back to PDP. It is very clear these people are not builders. If the likes of Asiwaju Tinubu where to be jumping from one party to the other would there have been APC winning the centre today? I would urge the PDP members to remain in the PDP and work hard for a win come 2019.
Are they really strongmen? I think they are feeble minded imbeciles. I will have nothing to do with such people.
My plea to APC and Buhari is to be wary of turn coat politicians (belly worshippers) birds of fair weather, unprincipled idealists. No sooner APC is no longer in power, which true democracy dictate could happen, these fair weathered men will decamp to the other side. Today is not the first time they will do it, it is like an inherited curse, (a poison chalice swallowed that cannot be vomited unless it kills them) APC must hold them at arms length because they are good for nothing prodigals.
All well meaning Nigerians at home and abroad must not think the job is done yet. As far as I am concerned changing PDP for APC may not necessarily of its own effect the true change we hope for the country. Conscious effort must be directed at grooming true democrats not the “chop I chop” ones we have now. If Nigeria must prosper and get out of the circle of poverty, those to lead the country must be selfless men and women of sound mind ready to sacrifice for the good of the country.I have sojourn in The States this past 16 years and marveled at the way politicians here are committed to leaving a foot print on the sand of time that will out last them.I am not saying the system is 100% perfect but you see on the ground what these men and women have done In contrast, I see a number of Nigerians coming to the States to flaunt ill-gotten money. Try tell them what they could do to improve the lot of their people with that money back home, they often look at you as if you are cursed. but look at it this way money stolen from Nigeria and brought here even if invested, goes to improve the infrasture of this country which is already in good shape because unlike in Nigeria, you must pay the relevant tax. Imagine the money was not stolen in the first place, it may have been used to improve the condition of dilapidated roads such as the one from Ikeja to Apapa, Lagos Benin Ore to the East to mention just a few. Back to where I took of from immediately now we must develop a system hat will start to identify and groom potential leaders for the country. If need be from the kindergarten to the tertiary institution even at the work places. We just must locate them. A number of countries had done this and it worked. Money stolen in ones pocket may not be the security you need but the good road, the electricity, good schools and portable water to mention but just a few that will really cut it..
We will review and take appropriate action.