As the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boasts that it will oust the ruling party in 2019, it was at the weekend inflicted by massive defections in four states.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) garnered thousands of defectors in Niger, Kogi, Kebbi and Adamawa states.
In Minna, Niger state, while PDP National Working Committee members were at the Hilltop residence of former President Ibrahim Babangida, more than 35,000 of their members were celebrating their exit from the party.
Also about 110,000 members of the PDP and other political parties in Kogi and Kebbi States defected en masse to APC.
In Kogi State, over 10,000 members of the PDP and other political parties defected to APC.
The new members were received at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
He said the government has taken steps in making the country self-sufficient and self-reliant, even though it is obvious that things are a bit hard for people in the country.
“Today the country does not depend on oil anymore but on agriculture. We are almost self-sufficient in rice production.
“Today we are building a new railway system that will pass through Lokoja.
In Kebbi state, a former Minister of Sports and a chieftain of the PDP, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa, and about 100,000 of his supporters defected to APC.
Sambawa who served as minister of Internal Affairs, Foreign, Sports and Youths Development under the PDP administration formally dumped his party and joined the APC at the Halidu Stadium, Birnin–Kebbi.
Sambawa said he decided to join the ruling party due to the quality leadership offered by President Muhammad Buhari and Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi.
In Adamawa, no fewer than 17 chieftains of PDP and their supporters defected to APC ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Adamawa on Tuesday.
The PDP chieftains include Ahmed Gulak, the Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Felix Tangwami, Chief Medan Teneke, Alhaji Sahabo Aliyu and Alhaji Saidu Aliyu.
Other defectors were Chief Lazarus Gugu, Alhaji Mustafa Maigari and Alhaji Yusuf Dan-Umma, among others.
Gulak, who addressed supporters at the event in Yola said they left the PDP with their 42,000 supporters “because of the impunity in the party.
NAN
