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Tag: Defection

  • Defection: APC leaders reject Akpabio as party leader in Akwa Ibom

    Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State have rejected former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the party leader in the state.

    Recall that Akpabio on Tuesday resigned his position as Senate Minority Leader and formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday.

    A party chieftain, Emmanuel Sam, said on Thursday that he would not accept Akpabio as the party leader.

    He said, “We cannot be led by a man who was brutal to us. We have not forgotten that his brutality made some members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria to move into what is called the APC today. He can never lead us. We will resist it.”

    Another chieftain of the party in Itu, Obong Mike Edem, said every right-thinking person in the party wouldn’t allow Akpabio to superintend over them.

    He said, “He cannot be our leader. He will be contradicting himself because he cannot reject a skewed reward system which favours newcomers in his former party, yet wants to be rewarded in the APC through similar skewed arrangement.”

    Edem added that they wouldn’t work with Akpabio because he persecuted them before they left the PDP.

    A group, Akwa Ibom Progressives Watch, also stated that the APC would be more disunited under Akpabio if he was made leader of the party in the state.

    The group at a press conference by its chairman, Innocent Sylvanus, on Thursday, warned that many people who left the PDP for the APC because of Akpabio’s impunity would be unwilling to work with him.

    He said, “It will be a disaster to allow Akpabio lead the party. We want the national leader and chairman of the party to know this.’’

     

  • Thousands of PDP, APC members set to defect to AGAP

    Thousands of PDP, APC members set to defect to AGAP

    Members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) towering thousands in Delta state are set to dump the parties for the All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP).

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the revelation was made during separate courtesy calls by delegates of the two parties to the Delta State Chairman of AGAP, Prince Alex Oyoro in Asaba.

    According to the AGAP Chairman, this is following the formidable structure that is being put in place by AGAP in the State, especially with what he described as the the successful inauguration of the 25 local government Chairmen of the party.

    In a statement, AGAP said the leader of the APC delegates, Chief Emma Ogedegbe said they are impressed when they read in the media the caliber of men that are Chairmen of AGAP in the 25 local governments, and also given the ideology of the party.

    “Sir I watched you on television and I heard you say that AGAP will only sponsor the ‘Not too young to rule’ for the forthcoming elections and that is in line with our philosophy,” Chief Ogedegbe was quoted as saying.

    Earlier, Sir Clem Okonjo who led the PDP delegation said the wave AGAP is making in the State in the past weeks, especially amongst the youth was alarming and they were wondering who was behind it until they saw the AGAP State Chairman inaugurating its local government Chairmen.

    “Our reason for wanting to defect to AGAP is because PDP has failed the people and we were just lurking in the wilderness painfully until we watched you talking about the vision of your party and knowing your pedigree, integrity and sagacity we believe you are out for a rescue mission for our dear State with your Party manifestos and ideology. Thousands of our members who sent us to you are willing to be part of this rescue,” Okonjo said.

    Prince Oyoro said he was humbled by their visit and assured them that they will be treated equally, stressing that AGAP has enough buses to convey all to prosperity.

    He revealed the defection will be held next week Saturday when all logistics and security details will be in place.

     

  • Why I defected to APC – Akpabio

    Former Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday pledged to take the people of Akwa Ibom state and the South-South to the centre for meaningful visibilty.

    The 55-year-old former governor of Akwa Ibom formally defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) at a mega rally held at the Ikot Ekpene township stadium.

    He told the huge crowd that he decided to join APC because he discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari “is a man of integrity and a nationalist’’.

    Akpabio said that he decided to join a party that would sweep away poverty and impunity.

    He said that he joined APC to help salvage the country.

    “The country is at war and all the hands must be on deck to salvage the situation and not to aggravate it.

    “As keepers of national emergency, everyone should put heads together. I decided to join to emancipate the people and provide succour for the people.’’

    He said that the PDP of today has no vision and the leadership is replete with arrogance.

    Earlier, the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere, said that change had come to Akwa Ibom and SouthSouth.

    He said that Akwa Ibom has joined the progressive states because the people were dissatisfied with the long misrule of the PDP.

    He said that Akpabio built the people and provided them with infrastructure but the present PDP government was a failure.

    Ekere said that the people have agreed to re-elect President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

  • ‘Akpabio’s defection will shake PDP to its roots’

    ‘Akpabio’s defection will shake PDP to its roots’

    Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, on Wednesday said the defection of Senator God’swill Akpabio will shake his former party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to its roots.

    Lawan said this during Wednesday in Ikot Ekpene township stadium at a rall to formally welcome the former Minority Leader to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    No fewer than 30 APC senators and members of National Working Committee (NWC) were on hand to receive the former governor of the state.

    Lawan, who introduced his colleagues, spoke on Akpabio whom he described as a nationalist and patriot who believes in Nigeria’s unity.

    He said: “This defection surpasses all other defections.

    “This is a defection that has shaken the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    “They followed Akpabio everywhere to prevent him from defecting but he ignored them.’’

    He said Akpabio is a nationalist who believes in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The crowd that witnessed the defection at Ikot Ekpene township stadium on Wednesday was huge.

    The National Women Leader of APC, Salamatu Umar, described the crowd as unprecedented.

    “Nigerian women are proud of Akpabio,” she said.

    She praised Akpabio for the transformation that has taken place in Akwa Ibom.

    Fifty-five-year-old Akpabio is a lawyer and politician who was also Governor of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria from May 29, 2007, to May 29, 2015.

    In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the then Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State.

    Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.

    In 2006, he aspired for the governorship of Akwa Ibom State in a hotly contested primary election and defeated 57 other aspirants to emerge the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    His campaign with the slogan, “let God’s will be done” received mass support and he was elected governor in 2007.

    He was re-elected for a second term in office as governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2011.

     

     

  • Defection not automatic end to your cases with EFCC, FG tells defectors

    Defection not automatic end to your cases with EFCC, FG tells defectors

    The Federal Government on Monday assured that the gale of defection in the nation’s party politics will not shield any corrupt politician from investigation and prosecution.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance when he paid an official visit to the Abuja office of The Authority newspaper.

    Fielding questions from members of the editorial board of the paper, the minister said that defection, even to the ruling All Progressives Congress, would not immune politicians who had looted the nation’s economy from being prosecuted.

    “Nigerians should be rest assured that the fact that some persons are moving from one party to another does not mean that they will escape prosecution.

    “Nobody will escape investigation and prosecution on the ground that he or she has moved to APC.

    “We have shown that with a former governor and a member of our party that was convicted. We will never terminate anybody’s prosecution on the ground of decamping.

    “However, it is not for the Executive to do the work of the Judiciary,’’ he said.

    The minister said that the defections being witnessed were not premised on the allegation of escaping justice.

    He said some defected for “political calculation and personal reasons.”

    Meanwhile, the minister had reiterated that the ruling party was not perturbed by the gale of defection, especially by members of the National Assembly.

    “We did not just start noticing this. The foundation for it was laid the day Dr. Bukola Saraki became the Senate President.

    “In every part of the world, when a party has the majority in Parliament, the party decides who is going to be the leader of the parliament.

    “This is a case where the party was still waiting for the President to resolve the issue when Saraki, from the back door, emerged as Senate President.

    “From then, we have known, because his emergence was illegal and against the wish of the party,’’ he said.

    The minister said that to make the matter worse, Saraki made a deal with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, by conceding the Deputy Senate President’s position.

    “In the last two years, the National Assembly has been behaving as if the opposition was in control. We have a Senate President that is so hostile to the government.

    “For three years, budgets are passed only in June. As I speak today, there has been no disbursement on capital project in the 2018 budget.

    “Critical appointments are also being delayed and the government is being blackmailed every day,’’ Mohammed alleged.

    “I have never seen in history where a leader of parliament will announce the defection of 15 members from his own party.

    “The proper thing is, if you are loyal to your party, you put stumbling blocks on such defection,’’ the minister argued.

    Mohammed said that Kwara, his state and that of Saraki, which is the epicenter of the defection, remained solidly behind APC and Buhari.

     

  • Photo: Akpabio further seals defection plans, meets Tinubu in Abuja

    Photo: Akpabio further seals defection plans, meets Tinubu in Abuja

    In what appears to be a final seal to his proposed defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, on Monday afternoon paid a courtesy call on the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

    Recall that Akbabio had on Sunday visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

    The former Akwa Ibom State governor is expected to defect from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on Thursday.

    He had visited Tinubu at the latter’s home in Lagos on Saturday.

    Akpabio met Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House on Wednesday last week.

    The former governor had earlier denied holding any secret talks with the APC for a possible defection moves.

    Unconfirmed reports have it that the senator is doing everything possible to avoid confrontations with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, hence his proposed defection.

    …More details as events unfold.

  • Defection: Group calls on Governor Tambuwal to resign

    A Group of ‘Concerned Citizens of Sokoto State’ has called on Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal to resign his position as governor following his defection to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the group Coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, described Tambuwal’s exit from APC as betrayal of people’s mandate as given him in the 2015 election.

    Abdullahi said Tambuwal’s emergence as Governor was not that he was popularly accepted by people of Sokoto, but because of the circumstances that PDP led Nigeria into then, as well as, contribution of Senator Aliyu Wamakko and President Muhammad Buhari.

    “We are speaking on behalf of Sokoto people that we are totally against Tambuwal’s decision to join PDP and we want him to immediately return our mandate by resigning his position as governor,’’ Abdullahi said.

    He called on the authorities to investigate the alleged bribery of 18 lawmakers to join PDP along with Tambuwal and sponsoring of people from the 23 Local Government Areas to attend Aug. 1, decamping event at Sokoto Government House.

    The group Coordinator called on Tambuwal to either confirm or deny the allegations stressing that it was said that N5 million was spent on each of the Local Government to transport people to the event.

    He added that the group would begin educating people to recall any lawmaker that followed Tambuwal’s actions, while suggesting that Nigeria’s Constitution should accommodate recall process of elected governor.

    Abdullahi described Tambuwal’s comments on Federal Government not executing any project in Sokoto as misleading.

    He listed establishment of 8 Division of Nigerian Army, N8.7 billion FGN/CBN Intervention programnme in agriculture among others as Buhari’s good work to Sokoto people.

    Abdullahi also urged Governor Tambuwal to account for N18.3 billion Paris Club refunds and N10.09 billion Salary/Pension arrears settlement facilities given by the Federal Government.

    He traced the history of Tambuwal’s emergence as Speaker House of Representatives, his governorship contest with his brother Sen. Umaru Dahiru-Tambuwal and the support he enjoyed from Sen. Aliyu Wamakko.

    Others in attendance at the conference were Retired Sqd. Leader, Aminu Bala-Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Gidan-Bango, Alhaji Usman Hassan and Alhaji Mu’azu Maigwanjo.

     

  • 2019: Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Umahi, Ayade react to defection reports

    2019: Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Umahi, Ayade react to defection reports

    Governors Ben Ayade (Cross River), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Okezie Ikpeazu all of main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have denied nursing plans to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    They said they would continue to remain loyal party members of the PDP, stressing that it was laughable and unfortunate for anyone to make such insinuations.

    The APC National Vice-Chairman, North Central, Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed-Wambai, had on Thursday, while speaking in Lafia during a party stakeholders meeting, stated that in the next three days, about three governors from the South-East would join the APC.

    The three states in the South-East governed by PDP governors are Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu.

    But, in their separate reactions, the governors dismissed the claim.

    Umahi emphasised that he had no plan to dump the PDP. He described the rumour as unfortunate, saying it was the handwork of mischief makers.

    He said, “Due to my relationship with President (Muhammadu) Buhari, there were rumours that I was moving to the APC. I ask such people that my going to APC is it for what? It is not the will of God that I should join the APC. I pity people who jump from one political party to another; we are not going to do that.”

    Also, the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Kalu, who spoke on behalf of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, said it was laughable to think that the governor would leave the PDP. He added that the claim was synonymous with “the lies and idol gossip associated with those running the APC.”

    He said, “I do acknowledge the fact that just like former Governor Orji Kalu once said that if Governor Ikpeazu joins the APC they would give him automatic ticket, they are wishing that our performing governor is part of them. But our governor would contest the next election and win under the platform of the PDP.”

    Also, Ayade, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, said his relationship with the President was purely on governance and not because he planned to join the APC.

    He said, “There is absolutely no truth in it. It is the fertile imagination of the author of the report. The governor has a relationship with the President based on governance. There is need for us as a people to understand that governance is different from politics. Ayade is a committed PDP member.”

    Meanwhile, in Enugu State, one of the officials close to the governor confided in our correspondent that there was no truth in reports that Ugwuanyi was dumping the PDP for APC.

    The official said, “People are leaving the APC, so it is understandable that claims like this would be made to score cheap political points.”

    Efforts to get the governor, the Commissioner for Information or the APC chairman in the state were not successful as at the time of filing this report.

    However, the state publicity secretary of the APC, Mrs. Kate Offor, said, “We are not aware that Governor Ugwuanyi is planning to join us; we don’t know anything about it.”

  • 2019: Kano deputy governor, Abubakar denies defection, resignation rumours

    Embattled Kano State Deputy Governor, Prof Hafiz Abubakar, on Thursday, dismissed as false rumours news making the rounds that he had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    While dismissing the speculation, Abubakar said he was still a member of the APC.

    He attributed the false claim that he had crossed to the PDP as the handiwork of some miscreants, urging his supporters to disregard it.

    “I have not resigned. I am still the Deputy Governor of Kano State and a member of the APC,’’ Abubakar said on Thursday.

    The deputy governor, who doubles as the Kano State Commissioner for Education, said he was in Abuja on Thursday to attend the National Council of Education meeting.

    Abubakar’s rumoured defection had gone viral on the social media, following a tweet on a PDP Twitter handle welcoming him, alongside the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Masari Tambuwal, into the opposition party.

  • Defections: Saraki has always behaved like opposition – FG

    The Federal Government on Wednesday accused the Senate President, Bukola Saraki of always acting like a member of the opposition before officially decamping on Tuesday.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday.

    The minister said the defection of the Senate President from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was a great relief to the party.

    Mohammed while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa, said Saraki had become the greatest obstacle to the government.

    Mohammed, expressed doubt over the party membership of Saraki.

    “I don’t think the government would have suffered more as regards the delay in passing the budget. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has behaved all along as if he was a member of the opposition,” he said.

    The minister said APC stands to lose nothing with the defection of Saraki and his loyalists adding that the party in his native Kwara State will grow stronger with the exit.

    He also said the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state have also defected to APC “demonstrating their rejection of Mr Saraki’s return to their party”.