Ayade has embarrassed us in PDP, says Taraba governor

The Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, on Friday described the defection of Governor Ben Ayade to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as an “embarrassment” to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Ishaku spoke to State House Correspondents after he met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“I wouldn’t know precisely the governor’s thinking, because all of us are different, but we are greatly shocked and embarrassed that he will suddenly dump the party for APC,” Ishaku said.

The Taraba State Governor wondered what prompted Ayade’s decision, given that all his counterparts in the PDP have acquitted themselves in their respective states, particularly in the areas of education, agriculture and infrastructure among others.

According to him, “all of us see PDP as an alternative to APC. And all the PDP governors are doing very, very well in their respective states. And for him to leave for APC, I don’t know the details. But be that as it may, I believe that any democratic country must have an opposition, a viable opposition and opposition in itself is good for democracy. If you don’t have an opposition, then the government in powers can go astray.”

Governor Ishaku also dismissed insinuations that the party’s reconciliation committee had failed in its assignment, adding that the decision to leave the PDP was purely Ayade’s personal affair.

“Let me tell you, they (committee) have done a good job. A very good one. But it depends on the decision of an individual and what he actually hopes to gain. You may get the best of intentions somebody may not agree with you. And so that is the point that I think is more of the governor’s decision as it affects him, and nobody can hold brief for that,” the governor said.

He also dismissed suggestions that the move was a precursor for a planned mass defection by other members of the party to join the APC.

“I don’t see that happening and like I said even his own was a shock to some of us. I don’t see that happening. And for Nigeria, we should hope for the opposition, a vibrant opposition that will help to put and maintain the system in going. Democracy without opposition is not a democracy.”