The governing All Progressives Congress (APC) Wednesday said more shockers await the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as more of its members would defect into the APC fold in coming months.
Ahead of the alleged influx of PDP members into APC, Yobe state Governor/ Chairman APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee Mai Mala Buni, said machinery was in motion for the party to have a credible membership register.
Umahi’s recent move
Just last week, Ebonyi state Governor Dave Umahi dumped the PDP for the ruling APC over what he called injustice of the opposition party to people of the South-east region.
He said his move would spur people of the region to pour into the APC family ahead the 2023 elections.
But the PDP and one of its governors, Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, said the governor defected purely out of personal interest.
Buni speaks
Addressing the Senate Caucus of the party at the National Assembly, Buni said: “APC will soon shock Nigeria’s political space with massive and unprecedented defections ever witnessed in the political history of our great country, and by the grace of God, the party will undoubtedly remain Nigeria’s leading political party.”
Recently, he said the party had witnessed the defection of some political bigwigs and return of some party faithful following the resolution of most conflicts facing the party in some states.
“Today, we are proud to say that the conflicts in most, if not all of the states, have been settled. The party now proudly parades political heavyweights in their respective states who have either returned back to the party or freshly joined the party.
We have the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former PDP National Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, several members of the National Assembly, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi, Senator Isa Hamma Misau, Alhaji Salisu Takai, among others.
“Our recent big catch of a very no less personality than the Executive Governor of Ebonyi state, His Excellency Mr Dave Umahi and several legislators of the state assembly are indeed great milestones in our restoration process.”
Party membership
Expressing concerns over lack of credible membership register in all the 36 states and Abuja chapters of the party, Buni declared that some members who left the party in 2018 and joined the opposition party, still had their names adorning the party register “while many others who joined the party from 2014 to date, do not have their names in the register.”
He said it therefore became imperative for the party to revalidate its membership register, expunge names of those who had left the party and include those who joined from 2014 to date in compliance with Article 9:4 of the party Constitution.
“Similarly, the annual membership dues payment, which has almost been totally neglected overtime, is a clear violation of Article 9:1(I) of the Party Constitution.
“The committee therefore finds the membership revalidation exercise as necessary to capture all members to promote internal democracy in the party.
“I am glad to inform you that preliminary plans had been concluded for the commencement of the first phase of the exercise in the next few weeks with the expectation to cover members both within the country and those in Diaspora,” the governor further said.
Buni also spoke on a plan by the party to amend its constitution which he said would be ready for presentation to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for approval before the expiration of the committee’s tenure.
He said: “The committee has set up a high powered committee made up of eminent party leaders, legal practitioners and experts to study the reviewed Constitution and to make recommendations to the effect of the necessary amendments.
“The National Secretary (CECPC) was mandated to provide all necessary information for wide consultations that will lead to an all-inclusive party constitutional review.
“The committee wishes to humbly submit that, the party should as a matter of priority do the needful by resolving all contentious and constitutional matters to approach the national convention with a new beginning and, on a very clean slate.”
Abbo defects
In a related development, the lawmaker representing Adamawa North on the PDP platform in the National Assembly, Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo, has dumped his party for the ruling APC.
Senator Abbo’s defection letter was addressed to Senate President Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan.
Lawan, who read the letter at the plenary Wednesday, said the lawmaker crossed over because of what he described as the unprecedented achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Welcoming the lawmaker into the APC fold, Senate President Lawan said his action was a show of patriotism, of purpose and unity for the development of the country.
He added that the APC was inviting more senators to come to the APC and join hands with the party, with a view to building Nigeria as a country.
Speaking on his defection and those of his constituents, Senator Abbo said he took the decision following the “mismanagement of PDP in Adamawa state by the Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri that has led to factions within the party in the state as well as polarisation of the party and interests.”
In the letter titled: “Movement of God’s People from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress,” the lawmaker wrote: “I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarisation of the party in the state (PDP and rPDP).
“Today I joined the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhamadu Buhari to build the Nigeria of our dreams.
“The journey may be long, but we are on the right track as I strongly believe that by the end of the tenure of Mr. President, Nigeria will be a better place.”
“Thus, in living up to the expectation of the good people of Adamawa North Senatorial District, I hereby defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with effect from today being Wednesday, the 25th day of November, 2020.
“Accept Distinguished SP Sir, the assurances of my highest regards,” he said.
APC Senate Caucus meets
Meanwhile, Lawan has announced that the APC Senate Caucus would meet today (Thursday) to deliberate on some issues.
With the defection of Senator Abbo from PDP to APC, the number of PDP senators in the Senate plummeted from 43 to 42, while that of APC rose to 60.
While one out of the remaining 7 seats is occupied by Senator Ifeanyi Uba of YPP representing Anambra South, the remaining six seats are vacant due to death of four senators namely; Benjamin Nwajumogu ( Imo North ) , Ignatius Longjan ( Plateau South), Rose Oko ( Cross River North ) and Bayo Osinnowo ( Lagos East ).
The remaining two vacant seats were earlier occupied by the sitting governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa state.
Meanwhile, INEC has fixed December 5 as the date for rerun elections into the six vacant seats in the Senate.
‘PDP unperturbed’
Speaking to Blueprint on the twin developments, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party remained intact with all its genuine members, noting that those who joined the APC did not have the interest of the people at heart.
Ologbondiyan said: “The APC and its caretaker chairman are hallucinating. It takes hallucinations for them not to know that as we speak today, Nigerians have moved beyond the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Five years down the line, APC cannot even organise themselves and their party. Their Constitution provides that they should have a board of trustees, and they don’t have. And today, they are running their national affairs via a caretaker chairman who has abandoned responsibility of his state, in Yobe.
“It is only those who are not genuine members of the PDP that will leave the party to go and join the APC at this critical time in our national life, a party that has failed the nation. People who joined APC don’t have the concern of the people at heart. Most of those who are running to the APC are doing it for personal interest.”
On Senator Abbo’s defection, he said the party “is not fazed by the decision.”
“He is fully aware of the constitutional implication of his decision to defect to another party; which is that he cannot continue to occupy the seat of the PDP in the Senate.
“The place of any Senator who changed parties except on the grounds provided by the Constitution is very clear and the PDP will not allow Senator Abbo to run away with our mandate. It is impossible. Our party had already commenced processes for his replacement with a credible, stable and acceptable person, to take over his seat in the Senate,” he said.
