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Tag: defects to APC

  • Sokoto Information Commissioner Goronyo defects to APC

    The Sokoto State Commissioner of Information and Chairman of the state’s Publicity Committee for the Governorship Campaign Council, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    It was in continuation of high profile defections plaguing the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter.

    The erstwhile spokesman of the state government made a triumphant entry into the progressives fold at the kick-off of APC campaigns in the hometown of its state leader in Wamakko town, headquarters of Wamakko Local Government Area.

    Goronyo, a lawyer, said: “I am back into the fold of the APC. Senator Aliyu Wamakko is my able and dependable father. He is a just, honest and a transparent leader.

    “This day is very historic for myself, my family and all my political associates. I have admitted making mistakes but I should be forgiven.

    “I hereby promise to work assiduously to ensure the success of the candidates of the party at all levels in the forthcoming general elections.”

    The former commissioner averred that President Muhammadu Buhari has made giant strides for the development of Nigeria, like Wamakko did between 2007 and 2015 when he was Sokoto State governor.

    He said the former governor worked for the growth and development of the state in all sectors.

    APC State Leader and Coordinator of the North Western Presidential Campaign Council, welcomed Goronyo back into the progressives fold.

    The former governor, who is representing Sokoto North in the Senate, described the former commissioner as a true and loyal son.

    He added: “I am sincerely elated with this happy development.”

    The APC governorship candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, lauded the former Information Commissioner for his action.

    He said: “He defected to the party with no strings attached.”

    Highlight of the ceremony was the defection of thousands of PDP members in Wamakko Local Government Area to the APC.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Akwa Ibom PDP strongman defects to APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has suffered a crippling blow with the defection of the strongman of the politics of the area, Dr. Godwin Udo Udo, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Dr. Udo, a long-standing political kingmaker popularly called “Mentor” by Ini politicians, defected on Friday at a rally in Methodist School, Mbiabong Ikot Udofia, Ini, with thousands of supporters, including a serving local government supervisor, two chapter executive members, 56 ward executive members and six former councillors.

    His defection came barely three months after the defection of the apex political leader of Ini, Obong Otu Robert Akpan, and the earlier defection of a former House of Representatives Member for Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Prof Ini Udoka.

    Dr. Udo said he defected to assist Obong Akpan, a former Chairman of the National Broadcasting Commission, to deliver the area to APC.

    He said that with his defection “God has answered the prayers of APC in Ini because I have never failed to deliver victory during elections and I will not fail this time.”

    Receiving the defectors, Hon Ini Okopido, the APC state chairman said with the number and quality of defectors PDP was finished in Ini because there was no politician of substance left in PDP.

    Obong Nsima Ekere, the APC governorship candidate, attributed the exodus from the PDP into the APC to the acknowledgement of the performance of the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari by the people of the state and the rejection of the Udom Emmanue-led state government.

    “If the PDP state government was performing, will people be leaving? There is nothing to show for three and a half years in Akwa Ibom State,” he said.

    Senator Godswill Akpabio, the immediate past governor of the state, said it was all over for PDP, saying: “This is total collapse. I don’t like talking when it is all over. I don’t like to return to Egypt. I don’t want to see even a torn umbrella. It is torn. Go and bury it.”

    Obong Otu Robert Akpan said he left PDP because Ini had not benefitted for the three and half years of the government of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

    Hon Victor Udofia, the Member for Ikono State Constituency in the State House of Assembly posited that with the massive defection “PDP has lost the game” in Ini even before the election.

    Mr. Itoro Efrene, the Ini APC chapter chairman said the Ini PDP, which he resigned from as chapter secretary, has finally collapsed with the exit of Udo whom he called “a big fish.”

    Solidarity messages were also delivered by Barr Edidiong Idiong, the APC House of Representatives candidate for Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency and Mr. Nyah Isong, the House of Assembly candidate for Ini State Constituency.

  •  Delta PDP major financier defects to APC

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and  major financier of the party in Delta State, Emma Ejiofor, yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with his supporters.

    Ejiofor who spoke with reporters in Asaba-Delta State capital, described the decision to quit his membership of the PDP as painful.

    Ejiofor regretted that the party has drifted  from the vision of its founding fathers, insisting that the clique that has hijacked  the party does not reward loyalty.

    His words: “I am taking what people termed to be hard decision which is dropping my membership of the PDP and taking a progressive step of associating with APC. I funded PDP from birth till this moment.

    ”When we formed PDP, it was with great minds of progressive ideas but what we are seeing is a clear deviation from those progressive ideas. Most of the founders have left the party because our expectations are not being met.

    ”PDP has become a clique of wicked people who don’t reward loyalty. The reward system in PDP is very bad. A situation where if you are given a position today, you become a leader, the contributions of others are not recognized is a bad reward system.

    ”When we formed the PDP, what we did was that the party should be stronger than an individual but what you are seeing today are individuals pocketing the party to an extent that very soon they will change name to South-South PDP because it is going regional.”

  • Ex-PDP chairman defects to APC with his supporters

    A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State, Abubakar Shehu-Tambuwal, has led his supporters to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Tambuwal Local Government Area.

    Addressing a crowd of supporters yesterday, Shehu-Tambuwal said they made the decision following their intent to participate in politics that would facilitate good development.

    He said they were convinced to join APC because of the viable policies and projects of the APC-led government, saying leadership and democracy should be about enhancing infrastructure and ensuring development for the people.

    Shehu-Tambuwal is also a former Commissioner for Education.

    The APC chair in Tambuwal council, Umar Maitafsir, said about 100,000 people from Yabo, Kebbi, Tureta, Dange/Shuni, Bodinga and Shagari councils also defected from PDP to APC.

    Maitafsir described the defection as a landmark in the political history of Sokoto South, attributing the move to Shehu-Tambuwal’s credibility and political contribution.

    State Chairman Sadiq Achida, who presented the defectors with their membership card, assured them of a level-playing ground.

    Achida said President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC-led government would continue to address the challenges facing Nigerians through various projects and policies, and urged the people to support the party to succeed at all levels.

  • Ex-FCT Minister‘s aide defects to APC

    Ex-FCT Minister‘s aide defects to APC

    •5,000 dump PDP

    Senator Usman Wowo, the Senior Special Adviser on Political and National Matters to the immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with his supporters.

    Wowo, with no fewer than 5,000 of his supporters, was received by the All Progressives Congress (APC) FCT’s chairman, Abudulmalik Usman.

    Thousands of APC’s supporters witnessed the formal declaration in Kuje.

    Wowo told reporters that he decided to return home to the APC to contribute his quota to the present administration.

    According to him: “I am going back home, which is the APC to make my impact felt.”

    Wowo, who is a grassroots politician, called on his numerous supporters to vote for the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming FCT area council elections.

    He assured that the present administration will lead the country and FCT to the Promised Land.

    Usman described the movement as a vote of confidence in the leadership of APC, assuring that the party will capture the six area councils in the elections next year.

    He described the event as a major landmark, tasking the defectors to be resolute in canvassing for votes.

    He assured all council aspirants of equal opportunity, stressing that the party will be fair and just to them.