There are indications that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a seven- man panel to negotiate terms and conditions with several leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who have made up their minds to leave the party. Blueprint gathered that the defection plans became necessary for two camps of the ruling party having lost hope following the recent declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari to seek the second term in office.
While one of the camps led by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and the Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, is already in touch with the PDP’s seven-man committee, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is also said to be on his way to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with plans to make his defection public by April ending or first week of May. Sources close to some of the aforementioned political leaders told Blueprint that the defection plans had reached “certain agreeable levels between the parties involved.”
One of the sources, who asked not to be named in print for obvious reasons, said: “What we are planning is a mother of all defection which will involve some governors, many senators and House of Representatives members. Therefore, there is need for us to properly agree on terms and conditions, including assurances of return ticket for some lawmakers.” Investigations, however, showed that many members of the ruling party were at a crossroads as to whether to leave the party alongside their leaders or stay back.
One of such members from a North-central zone of the APC, who described himself as “a dieheard Kwankwassiya member,” said he was ready to sacrifice the position he is currently holding in the ruling party because of his ideology. PDP scribe reacts Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbodiyan, said the party “shall continue to engage meaningful Nigerians and other political parties in a bid to democratically take over power from the incompetent government of the All Progressives Congress (APC).” Ologbodiyan said he was not in the know whether or not his party had set up any committee to reach out to Senate President Saraki and others.
“I am not aware of any committee’s meeting with the Senate President and others, all I know is that our party is open to all Nigerians, whether they are member of our party before, whether they just develop interest now and want to be member of our party. PDP is open to all Nigerians,” he said.
Continuing, he said: “Our party has been rebranded, it has been reformed, and it has been repositioned for any Nigerians whose capacity and capability will change the condition of Nigerians for good to come contest on our platform as the President of Nigeria come 2019. I am aware that the party is open to new members, and even to returning members, but I am not aware of any committee’s meeting.
“There is going to be a coalition between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties, who are interested in changing the incompetent governance that we have in this nation. We are open to all parties that are in opposition, as you know the PDP is the most formidable opposition political party in Nigeria.”
He further said: “The Peoples Democratic Party is also the leading opposition party in Nigeria today; so any other parties that are prepared to out the dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Villa must be prepared to talk and work with the Peoples Democratic Party.” ‘Move timely, warning to APC’ Also reacting to the development, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna North) said it was “a timely move by the PDP, warning sign for APC.” “I would rather view it this way; that politics is about people and patronage. Certainly, it is not out of place for a politician to gain more grounds and followership to his own tide.
PDP is doing the right thing, but what the terms are is another thing entirely. “APC came about out of the condition produced by the PDP. Therefore, I think the PDP, this time around, will approach some of such personalities and they will succeed given the way APC is going. PDP, as a party, is no doubt a very big force to reckon with, and what will determine how successful they are with wooing members within the APC will be dependent on the way APC plays its game,” he said. Continuing, he said: “The convention for PDP has come and gone, and that of APC is around the corner.
As you obviously know, the APC convention which is being planned is fraught with a series of problems already. PDP is making such strong moves because they are in tune with the time. I consider it a timely move by the PDP, and a warning sign for the APC.” In his view, the Senate Majority Whip, Biodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti), said “it’s homecoming for Saraki, Kwankwaso, others.”
He said: “That would be a good development considering that it will be home-coming and not a problem at all. I think it will be my greatest pleasure to have them return to the PDP. I am excited about it.” On Buhari’s chances in 2019, he said: “It is not going to be possible for President Buhari to win in 2019. He is going to be beaten hands down. This is not about his person; he lacks the ability as a leader to take Nigeria out of the woods. There are two major parties in Nigeria – the PDP and APC. Ahead of 2019, the only option and party to reckon with, in terms of delivering good governance, is no doubt the PDP.”
