Niger APC chieftain resigns ambassadorial post, defects to PDP

Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, has resigned his appointment and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ibeto, a former deputy governor of the state was said to have arrived Nigeria from Pretoria at the weekend and submitted his resignation letter at the Ministry of External Affairs in Abuja on Monday.

The Guardian could, however, not confirm if the envoy saw President Muhammadu Buhari before returning to Minna the same day.

Ibeto was reported to have left Minna yesterday for Ibeto his country home in Magama Council of the state, where a large crowd of supporters reportedly received him on his way.

While in his hometown, the former ambassador headed for the APC ward office to tender his resignation and went to pick his nomination form at the PDP office.

The Guardian learnt that Ibeto joined the state governorship race immediately.

He was a member of the PDP until the primary election in November 2014 during which he was schemed out of the governorship race by former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu.

His humiliation made him to defect to the APC after resigning his membership of the PDP along with thousands of his supporters, who had complained that the PDP shortchanged him.

Most people believed that Ibeto was instrumental to the success of the incumbent governor by leading his campaign to all 274 wards in the state, which earned the APC victory in 2015.

President Muhanmmadu Buhari appointed him Ambassador to South Africa last year