Deputy governor, senators, ex-minister quit in Edo, Kwara, Benue, others
A wave of defections has hit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It was not immediately clear yesterday whether the party’s loss in the March 28 presidential election triggered the defections.
In Jigawa, Kwara, Kebbi and Gombe states, key political figures yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In Benue State, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Michael Kaase Aondoakaa resigned from the PDP. He is yet to join another party.
In Edo State, the PDP candidate in the 2012 governor ship election, Maj.- Gen. Charles Arhiavbere was received into the APC yesterday by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He announced his defection at the weekend.
Jigawa State Deputy Governor Ahmed Mahmoud led the defectors at a ceremony in his home town Gumel.
Mahmoud along with a Special Adviser to Governor Sule Lamido, Alhaji Bello Dansokoto; the immediate past executive Chairman, Dutse Capital Development Authority, Alhaji Bashir Aminu and the immediate past Chairman of Gumel Local Government Council, Alhaji Ya’u Kura, defected, taking with them thousands of supporters.
The defectors were received by executive members of the party and a massive crowd of APC supporters. They described their exit from the PDP as “good riddance”.
Mahmoud, who spoke at the venue, said: “My defection is as a result of my personal and supporters’ interest that prevailed on my conscience to do the right thing.”
The deputy governor, who spoke amidst shouts of “change” by thousands of APC supporters, added: “I have been loyal to Governor Sule Lamido up to this moment and I pray that all of you should as a matter of respect reciprocate same to me and this party.”
He said he had no regret over his decision to join the APC.
Mahmoud becomes the fourth deputy governor to defect – the third to leave the PDP for the APC – after Niger State Deputy Governor Ahmed Ibeto and Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi. Rivers State Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru left the APC for the PDP.
But after his action yesterday, the state PDP chapter issued a statement saying it had expelled Mahmud.
The statement signed by the PDP chairman of Galagamma ward in Gumel, Jigawa State Alhaji Ibrahim Kafinta, said the decision to expel Mahmoud was taken during a stakeholders meeting held in his ward.
Kafinta alleged that the deputy governor sabotaged the party during the National Assembly elections.
He said the Gumel Local Government headquarters of the party had endorsed the expulsion.
Former Governor Saminu Turaki also defected to the APC.
Turaki requested that his official reception into the party should be held at his Kazaure Emirate home town today.
He was joined on the defection train by Alhaji Abba Anas and Senator Muhammad Dudu. Dudu represented Jigawa North-East Senatorial District between 1999 and 2007.
Receiving the defectors, APC Chairman Ado Sani Kiri said the party had increased from strength to strength. He assured the new members that they would be accorded the same treatment as those they met in the party.
One of the defectors, former House of Representatives member Alhaji Anas, explained why he joined the APC.
The former member representing Guri/Hadejia/Kirikasamma Federal Constituency said: ”I am joining the PDP due to the overwhelming support Nigerians gave to General Muhammadu Buhari and one cannot be left out”.
Gombe State House of Assembly Majority Leader Mamman Alkali yesterday joined hundreds of others who left the ruling PDP for the APC.
The defectors included over 50 Special and Personal Assistants to Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo.
Alhaji Ibrahim Zamfara, a member of PDP Elders Committee, who spoke on behalf of the defectors, said they dumped the PDP because they wanted to avoid a situation where Gombe would end up as an opposition state.
”We have decided to embrace change because of shoddy happenings in the PDP. The party lacks transparency and we are fed up with the discriminatory activities of PDP in Gombe State.
”We feel it will be better for us to pitch our tent with the winning train so that the state can benefit and move forward,” he said.
Receiving the defectors, APC governorship candidate Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya promised them a fair deal, saying they should feel free and consider themselves as bona fide members of the party.
He said their decision was timely and would further enhance APC’s fortunes ahead of Saturday’s governorship and legislative elections
In Ilorin, no fewer than 20,000 supporters of the 2011 governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State, Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN), have defected to the APC.
The defectors were led by Rev. Bunmi Olusona, a close associate of Belgore.
Belgore was the state’s coordinator of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation.
Mr. Adebayo Ajimoti, Alhaji Gobir Mohammed, Alhaji Dele Sarkinwa, Dr. Mohammed Potun, Funso Agaka, Alhaji Nasiru Ubandawaki, Mr. Yunus Abdullahi and Mr. Dada Abiodun also defected.
In a letter addressed to the state’s chairman of APC, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani, the former PDP leaders traced their decision to a meeting they held with the APC leader in the state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and their realisation that the PDP is “made up of people who do not have the interest of the state at heart”.
The letter, dated April 6, 2015, described their decision to join the PDP in the first instance, as a result of “ignorance”, They lamented that what they found in the PDP was best described as belonging to a “generation of vipers”.
The letter said: “We make bold to tell Kwarans that they should stay away from the party because it is a sinking ship.” The letter claimed that the PDP had been able to produce an array of bad candidates who voters have come to see as clueless politicians.
The defectors also wrote that they were never comfortable with the environment due to what they labelled as the practice of politics of bitterness by “self-seeking and attention-craving politicians”.
The defectors said “for continued progress and prosperity”, the new APC members directed their followers to freely go to thelr wards and team up with the APC and vote for the party’s candidates for governorship and House of Assembly positions.
Aondoakaa (SAN) sent a letter of resignation “with immediate effect” from the PDP to his ward chairman, asking that his name be struck off the members’ list in Lessel Township Ward.
Aondoakaa, said he came to “this important decision” after due consultation with his family, friends and political associates. He said he would concentrate on his legal practice.
On the governorship and House of Assembly elections, he enjoined the people to vote according to their conscience.
The immediate past chairman of the PPD in Kebbi State and dozens of other leaders have dumped the party for the APC,.
Three aggrieved governorship aspirants – Mansir Mansa, Hussaini Adamu and Zubairu Dabai – also defected to the APC.
They accused the PDP of victimising them and expressed a lack of confidence that the party will give them justice.
Other party leaders who moved to the APC are: Abbas Jega, Danjuma Kamba, Shehu Malisa, Bala Gwandu, Rilwanu Auwal, Ilyasu Kambaza, Dambegu Vice, Usman Zuru, Danjuma Zuru, Aliyu Kalgo, Haruna Magarza, Abu Dangoje, and Bello Kaoje, who lost the Suru/Bagudu Federal Constituency election to an APC candidate.
The running mate of the APC governorship candidate, Sama’ila Yombe, who received the defectors in Zuru on Sunday, said the party was consulting with many other PDP members to join the APC before the governorship election.
“PDP is not a party to remain in,” he said.

It was expected. Hypocrisy of the highest order. How will they play the opposition successfully (the way APC have been doing for years) if they all defect? Honestly, this just won't be good and healthy for our democracy and country in general.
We need someone to keep the government of the day on their toes and get them busy through delivering the true dividends of democracy and good governance (to the society at large).
I still love the PDP but, in this case I must say kudos to the APC and give them huge credit for playing the role of the opposition so well over the years by keeping the outgoing government busy.

Nigerian Politicians won't stop to amaze me, can't they ride to power 4rm opposition?


The political space has changed, if the masses are not 4 u just 4get it. If u like cross-carpet to all d parties it won't work

The truth is pdp will get weaker and weaker before getting and coming back stronger. The weakening process duration cannot be determined to be 4years,the party will undergo a lot of changes and a new set of politicians will emerge in pdp. It is a rebirth or renewing process. Apart from these defections ,the party will still face leadership selection issues and problems ,various interest groups will want to lay claim to the leadership mantle,coupled with the fact that the apc led government will do everything to break pdp into crumbs,but with TIME the party will bounce back stronger.

I'm not surprised. Politics of no ideology!

PDP will have to merge with the likes of kowa, LP, apga & young boys abi na young shall grow before they can challenge APC in 2019