The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, said on Tuesday night that the November 2013 defection of five governors from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress was a major factor determining the APC’s victory in the last general elections.

Chairman of Progressives Governors forum and governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha delivering his address at the dinner.
Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers States joined the APC after staging a walk out on the PDP national convention in Abuja.
Speaking at a valedictory dinner organised by the Progressive Governors Forum, and held in honour outgoing governors, Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Messrs Kwankwaso, Amaechi and Wamakko, Mr. Okorocha said “make no mistake about it, without the five Governors that joined the APC in 2013, we would not be here today”.
The Imo Governor, who is also the chairman of the PGF, said the five governors took an enormous risk given what he described as a “vindictive” Federal Government.
He cited the example of Mr. Nyako, who was impeached by the Adamawa State House by the Adamawa State House of Assembly over allegations of gross financial misconduct in June 2014.
Many believe that the impeachment was prompted because Mr. Nyako had written a scathing letter to President Jonathan accusing the Federal Government of carrying out genocide against the people of the North East.
Mr. Okorocha said by coming to the APC, the governors transformed “a fledgling opposition into a national political movement”.
“…The moment the PDP lost five Governors was the moment it lost the presidency and its planned 60 years in power,” he said.
Also speaking at the occasion the National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, said the outgoing governors raised the bar for their newly elected colleagues by their performance in office.
He urged their successors to exceed the standard they have set.
Mr. Oyegun said in less than two years of its formation, the APC had succeeded in winning the presidency, more states and controlling the majority in the two chambers of the National Assembly.
“From 14 Governors we now have 22 and God told me we will end with either 24 or 25″.
“I cannot say how proud I am to lead a party that has made history,” Mr. Oyegun said.
He told all the elected officials in the gathering that Nigerians expect a lot from them and that the APC is taking over at a period of intense challenge. “This nation has been run aground,” he said.
He reminded them that not only Nigerians, but the whole world supported change in the country. Mr. Oyegun urged the elected officials not to waste time in tackling the challenges in the country because “the whole world would be watching us as from May 29″.
Also, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, said the outgoing Governors by their performance have given the incoming administration an agenda to pursue.

He also paid tribute to the five Governors saying their movement to the APC greatly enhanced the fortune of the party and led to the defeat of the PDP.
“They chose the difficult path, rather than the easy way out,” Mr. Atiku said.
The former VP also advised the APC to learn from the mistakes made by the PDP.
He said the party has no option than to perform.
“We must be open and transparent, not like the PDP, we must avoid winner takes all, greed, arrogance, impunity and corruption, ” Mr. Atiku said.
A national leader of the APC and former national Chairman of the defunct ANPP, Ogbonnaya Onu, said although the challenges before the party are enormous, the calibre of the officials gives him the confidence that the party will not only meet, but exceed the expectations of Nigerians.
Mr. Onu said Nigerians have already began adjusting to the disciplined way of life that is about to come.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/183330-defection-of-5-pdp-governors-ensured-victory-for-apc-okorocha.html

Cc lalasticlala

APC we are tired of all this noise we d Nigerian youth are still observing if u fail us then kowa party should b warming up

He cited the example of Mr. Nyako, who was impeached by the Adamawa State House by the Adamawa State House of Assembly over allegations of gross financial misconduct in June 2014.
Many believe that the impeachment was prompted because Mr. Nyako had written a scathing letter to President Jonathan accusing the Federal Government of carrying out genocide against the people of the North East.

That's PDP for you........

Instead of addressing the message...... They have to victimised the messager
That's one of the major reasons they lost...... They turn deaf ears to the pleading, yearning and dreams of an average man for them to better their lives


Hope APC is learning from their mistake

APC won the election, time for these people to just shut up and govern.

Ok

Exactly.....

PDP should not have let those governors go.

But they did...and thus lost a lot of votes.

I may not like Obasanjo...but one thing about his PDP.....potential defectors were not allowed to leave...by a system of rewards.

foooooooooool talking

APC's victory was divine.

Work don't talk

Yes, pride had a hand in this. PDP caused their problems and APC capitalized on it. Wisdom pass wisdom

Ode na the 'change' slogan una use.... Deflection kor Defection ni

Thank God someone knows and is saying the truth

Help us lord

Yes! It was a factor but not a MAJOR factor!

What I would consider a MAJOR factor is the Campaign Agency that worked for OBAMA that came into the picture. Even PDP was sore afraid when they heard of the news.


www.acegoals.com

“From 14 Governors we now have 22 and God told me we will end with either 24 or 25″.

The bolded - Tribunal things!

Truth be told, the five Governors LEFT for their own selfish and personal reasons and it has Nadda to do with the victory of Buhari.

It is we the masses of Nigeria that said ENOUGH..... is ENOUGh for the "Kleptomanic and inept Regime" of Jonathan.

In all of these, we must not forget to give CREDIT to one Man and his Team, that is Prof. Attahiru JEGA.
If not for his insistence on the use of the "PVC & Card Reader", our Vote and Voice would not have counted and Jonathan would still have declared a "landslide Victory', as is usual of PDP.


We must also agitate to our elected officials (by voting them out if they refuse to hear and heed to our voice) that the Electorate should be able to have a "Power of Recall" for elected Assembly Officials and LGA Councillors & Chairmen.

Development starts at the Grass Root and these level of Officials seem UNACCOUNTABLE for the huge Financial Vote they collect from the Centre.

So, everyone that loves democracy and loves this country must ensure that we support ways of making the Card Reader/PVC permanent ......and "bullet-Proof" to tampering.

That is the only way to improve this democratic dispensation.

I rest my case.

Lastpage!

Those men took a very risky path to greatness. The political history of this nation will never be complete without proper recourse to that event of November last year.




To all the 3 progeressive governors handing- over power this month- go in peace till we meet again on a higher platform.

ashile:
foooooooooool talking

In politics...you keep your friends close...and your enemies even closer.

Which is what PDP forgot to do this time...they chased out the enemies...who were then freed to plot against them on the outside...more effectively.

A Party is not made up of people who like each other. Rather...a Party is made up of people...men and women...who can put aside their differences and work towards a common goal.

That is why APC beat PDP....it was not because APC members trust and love each other....it was because they were committed to beating PDP regardless of how they felt about each other.

The truth is that nothing like 5 governor defection cause PDP to lose ,the main reason why PDP lose is because they failed nigerian's.

princeofpeace22:
APC we are tired of all this noise we d Nigerian youth are still observing if u fail us then kowa party should b warming up

If only kowa party don't vanish into thin air.

bushdoc9919:
Exactly.....

PDP should not have let those governors go.

But they did...and thus lost a lot of votes.

I may not like Obasanjo...but one thing about his PDP.....potential defectors were not allowed to leave...by a system of rewards.

The fall of PDP started in the Governor's forum.

Clueless president surrounded by bad advisers resulted in downfall of PDP

@pic, does he want to chew the broom?

APC and book making.!
I thought it was the hard work of people like you
( Okorocha )that ensure the victory.

I thought it was APC leadership performance.

Okorocha has just confirmed that even PDP was a better party.

16>19 was part of their greatest undoing. Even when there was evidence shown to all, PDP felt 16 should stand.

“From 14 Governors we now have 22 and God told me we will [size=18pt]end with either 24 or 25″[/size] .

Wike is going. - Rivers State

Fayose is gone. - Ekiti State

Who ? ? ? ? ? ? - Akwa Ibom ? ? ?

Okorocha our next president!



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All this one na story. Inorher words, SAI Buhari

Ashawo dem been jumping from one place to another place
oloshi

It is now official, PDP is dead as a party. I wonder how they will survive without access to funds from the centre. What PDP is waiting for now is the undertaker.