Notable Politicians in Defection of Fear
Defections of fear
At least, up to six notable politicians have joined the APC in less than three months. On September 22, a former governor
of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, defected from the PDP to the APC. Dariye, representing Plateau Central Senatorial
District, announced his defection in a letter read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Dariye, said the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level was his reason for defection.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described his defection as a welcome development. Less than three months later, Chief Yele Omogunwa, another PDP Senator who represents Ondo South Senatorial District of Ondo State, on Thursday, November 24, confirmed his defection to the APC.
Sen. Omogunwa confirmed his defection in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure two days before the Ondo State governorship election. The announcement of Omogunwa’s defection by the Senate President on November 30 caused an uproar on the floor as senators engaged in a war of words. The PDP senators staged a walkout over his defection. The senator based his decision to defect on the division in the PDP.
But the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, raised a point of order, asking Saraki to declare Omogunwa’s seat vacant because according to him, there is no division in the PDP.
On November 16, a former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, also announced his decision to defect to the governing APC from the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
Kalu said at a brief event at the APC national secretariat in Abuja that he joined to rebrand the party in line with the decision of his mother and other family members.
On Monday, a former lawmaker representing Kokona/Keffi/Karu Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, also dumped the PDP for the APC.
Wadada, who served two terms on the platform of the PDP from 2003 to 2011, was received by the APC chairman of his Tudun Kofa ward, Tanko Sodangi, in Keffi town of Keffi local government area.
Wadada said he decided to join the APC as a result of the disunity in his former party and the concern he had for his people.
Mean why Tuesday, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ima Niboro, also joined the APC.
Niboro, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was ushered into the APC at his residence in Udu Local Government Area of Delta. Niboro, a former PDP member, said his joining the APC was meant to align Delta with the government at the national level and to galvanise development.
On November 9, the Deputy Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Godiya Akwashiki, left the PDP for the APC.
The Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, who read Akwashiki’s defection letter during plenary session in Lafia, congratulated Akwashiki (PDP-Nassarawa Eggon West) for taking the decision.
Akwashiki identified the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level as the major reason for his defection to the APC..
Also, the Deputy Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, James Okefe, defected to the APC on November 22 after months of speculation.
In the letter which was read by the Speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, Okefe said he left the PDP because of the crisis rocking it at the center.
Though some of the decampees cited the division in the PDP as the reason for their decision to defect to the APC, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, attributed the recent massive defection from the PDP to the APC to the fear of possible arrests by agents of the federal government.
At least, up to six notable politicians have joined the APC in less than three months. On September 22, a former governor
of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, defected from the PDP to the APC. Dariye, representing Plateau Central Senatorial
District, announced his defection in a letter read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
Dariye, said the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level was his reason for defection.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, described his defection as a welcome development. Less than three months later, Chief Yele Omogunwa, another PDP Senator who represents Ondo South Senatorial District of Ondo State, on Thursday, November 24, confirmed his defection to the APC.
Sen. Omogunwa confirmed his defection in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure two days before the Ondo State governorship election. The announcement of Omogunwa’s defection by the Senate President on November 30 caused an uproar on the floor as senators engaged in a war of words. The PDP senators staged a walkout over his defection. The senator based his decision to defect on the division in the PDP.
But the Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, raised a point of order, asking Saraki to declare Omogunwa’s seat vacant because according to him, there is no division in the PDP.
On November 16, a former governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, also announced his decision to defect to the governing APC from the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
Kalu said at a brief event at the APC national secretariat in Abuja that he joined to rebrand the party in line with the decision of his mother and other family members.
On Monday, a former lawmaker representing Kokona/Keffi/Karu Federal Constituency in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, also dumped the PDP for the APC.
Wadada, who served two terms on the platform of the PDP from 2003 to 2011, was received by the APC chairman of his Tudun Kofa ward, Tanko Sodangi, in Keffi town of Keffi local government area.
Wadada said he decided to join the APC as a result of the disunity in his former party and the concern he had for his people.
Mean why Tuesday, a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ima Niboro, also joined the APC.
Niboro, a former Senior Special Assistant on Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was ushered into the APC at his residence in Udu Local Government Area of Delta. Niboro, a former PDP member, said his joining the APC was meant to align Delta with the government at the national level and to galvanise development.
On November 9, the Deputy Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Godiya Akwashiki, left the PDP for the APC.
The Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, who read Akwashiki’s defection letter during plenary session in Lafia, congratulated Akwashiki (PDP-Nassarawa Eggon West) for taking the decision.
Akwashiki identified the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level as the major reason for his defection to the APC..
Also, the Deputy Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, James Okefe, defected to the APC on November 22 after months of speculation.
In the letter which was read by the Speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange, Okefe said he left the PDP because of the crisis rocking it at the center.
Though some of the decampees cited the division in the PDP as the reason for their decision to defect to the APC, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, attributed the recent massive defection from the PDP to the APC to the fear of possible arrests by agents of the federal government.
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