As far as
the National Vice Chairman, South-South, of the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC), Chief Hilliard Eta is concerned, the purported moves by three
state governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to defect to
the party still falls within the realm of speculation.
Reports
making the rounds have it that Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ben Ayade
(Cross River) and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), as well as Senator Godswill Akpabio, who
is the Senate Minority Leader, have concluded arrangements to defect to the
APC.
Eta, who
claimed ignorance of the unfolding development, told The Media that he would
not rush into baring his mind over an unsubstantiated story.
Meanwhile,
the immediate past deputy national publicity secretary of the party, Timi
Frank, has dumped the party.
Frank, who
is yet to disclose the party he would pitch tent with, claimed that he was left
with no option than to leave the party due to poor governance and the absence
of internal democracy in the party.
According to
him: “I was one of the early joiners from the PDP, having been dissatisfied by
the unsustainable trajectory of the last administration, which I felt no longer
possessed the political will to make Nigeria and her democracy reflect the
lofty dreams of its founding fathers, which among others, was to unleash the
untapped potentials of the Nigerian citizenry, especially her vibrant youth
population, ever eager to take their place in the economic and socio-political
advancement of the country.
“My decision
to join the APC then was based on its promise that things were going to change
for the better.
“Regrettably,
however, rather than lead the country with egalitarian principles that would
under-guide the nation’s quest for development and progress in the mould of her
counterparts in the international community, the country has taken a deep
plunge backwards under the leadership of the APC, with high level of tyranny,
victimisation, harassment, and political desperation.
“What we
thought had been consigned to the era of military dictatorship in the country
is again rearing its odious head. Although I am a direct victim of injustice
and intolerance in the party, I continued to speak out, because I have zero
tolerance for injustice anywhere.
“While I
consider the APC as a failed project, I am ready again to stoop and contribute
my humble quota to the progress and development of this country by joining
hands with progressive forces to rescue it from collapse, poverty, corruption,
tyranny, ignominy and undemocratic leadership.
“Let it be
clear that I am stepping aside from the APC to be the voice for the majority of
voiceless Nigerians, who daily suffer the bad policies and highhandedness of
this administration.
“I want to
continue my fight to ensure a better Nigeria, where injustice, corruption,
killings and bloodletting will cease to exist.”
Amid
unconfirmed rumours of the defections of the governors, a member of the House
of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has disclosed that several high profile
politicians were on their way to the ruling party.
Jibrin, who
had a running battle with the leadership of the Lower House over his attempt to
expose some alleged corrupt dealings leading to his suspension, told The
Guardian in Abuja, yesterday, that apart from those on their way to join the
APC, some governors in the opposition parties have actually accepted to work
for the success of Buhari’s re-election next year.
“As people
are going, people are also coming in. But because it is news that people are
leaving the ruling party, they make it big news. A lot of other people from
even the opposition are coming in.
“At the
moment, not less than four to five PDP governors are working in a cross-party
arrangement, working to support the APC.”
Although he
declined to name the PDP governors, Jibrin said the unfolding politics in
Nigeria has created a situation where serious- minded politicians are looking
for ways to better the lot of Nigerians and also creating space for their
regional political development, saying: “As time goes on, you will get to see
how these things will shape out.”
But a PDP
chieftain and the party’s Vice Chairman, Southwest, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, countered
that the rumour of the PDP governors’ defection was only “lies from the pit of
hell coming from idle minds who are still in the dark about the emerging
political realities in Nigeria.”
Olafeso told
The Guardian in Abuja that he was with all the politicians mentioned in the
rumour the previous evening and “nothing could be farther from the truth than
the idle rumour that they are planning defection.
“No
politician worth his name would contemplate leaving the growing PDP for the
sinking ship of the APC.”
Comments