Strong indications have emerged that the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Banabas Gemade has made up his mind to decamp to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, to realize his re-election bid in the Senate.

Already Senator Gemade who represents Benue North East Senatorial District has tendered a letter of withdrawal from the PDP’s senatorial primaries expected to hold tomorrow as a result of the alleged hijack of the process by the State Governor, Gabriel Suswan.
Gemade
Gemade
A close ally of the erstwhile National Chairman of the PDP who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on the condition of anonymity hinted that Senator Gemade may likely pick the APC form on Monday to contest the senatorial election in the area.

The source further stated that Gemade who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning will join forces with the former governor of the state and Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume to ensure that APC captures the state in 2015 general elections.
The source claimed that Senator Gemade decided to leave the PDP because the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP, turned down the list of his (Gemade) delegates and recognized the governor’s list which he claimed were allegedly written in the comfort of his Anyiim, Logo country home, Benue State.

It will be recalled that Senator Akume was allegedly pushed out of the PDP and he joined the opposition party to win his election in 2011 and has become a Chieftain of the APC and Minority Leader in the senate.

Senator Gemade in his withdrawal letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu dated December 2nd, 2014, with the title “PDP primary elections for Senate 2015-withdrawal”, complained about lack of transparency and level playing field in the way and manner the party’s primary election is being conducted.

He lamented over his alleged forceful withdrawal from the PDP senatorial primaries, saying that he had realised that things had degenerated to the level that no one should expect a level playing field or even any democratic action in the party’s affairs.

He said that as a founding member of the PDP in 1998 and indeed the leader of the Conveners in Benue State, he was pained by the undemocratic developments in the party where the party structure was surrendered to the state government.

Senator Gemade noted, with dismay, that there was no room for an honest and law abiding member of PDP in having a fair chance in any contest in the forthcoming primary elections as anyone who was capable of manipulating the process, albeit illegally, was free to do so, and will be protected.

The letter for his withdrawal read in part: “I am constrained to write you for the fourth time in two months on the subject matter of the happenings in the PDP in my state as they affect me and our teeming members who have toiled over the years to give victory to our party for four consecutive general elections.

“As a founding member of this party in 1998 and indeed the leader of the Conveners in Benue State, I am pained by these developments and I want to put on record my feelings even if there is no result arising from it.

“At least, the history of my service as convener, member national steering committee, member Executive Committee (NEC), member National Working Committee (NWC), member Board of Trustees (BOT), National Chairman and Chairman National Caucus should count.
“I have come to realise that things have got to a point where one cannot expect a level playing ground or even any democratic action in our affairs in the party.
Source: e reporter.com.ng/index.php/political-news/item/1931-ex-pdp-national-chairman-gemade-decamps-to-apc

Well, we'll welcome you. No permanent enemies in politics.

If there's any state in Nigeria I am sure the APC will capture from the PDP, it will be Benue State. As if that isn't enough, I see The current Senate President David Mark not returning to the National assembly come 2015 as locals and eligible voters from his senatorial districts seems to be fed up with the vivid reality of his ineffective representation. I am not from Benue though but with realities on ground, the odds favours APC. The sheer failure of Gabriel Suswam's administration is an icing on the cake for the APC to graciously feed on.

Nigeria politicians lack idealogy. If a politician have a party idealogy need not move to another political party if he fails to realize his goals. This shows that most politicians are there in politics for their own selfish interest. It will take a long journey in our democracy for leaders to emerge solely for leadership purpose. This can only be possible if there is no more oil money to share.

He should be welcomed to the fold but must be DENIED APC ticket.

[size=13pt]About 70% of present APC is populated by rejected PDP men. APC leadership should be ashamed of themselves

Imagine a party suspending gubernatorial primaries in about 18 states because they are waiting for PDP aspirants that will fail primaries to decamp and pick automatic tickets under APC [/size]

What kind of political party is PDP, two of its former national chairmen, Audu Ogbe and Barnabas Gemade, from Benue State, have decamped to the opposition party?

saintopus:
Nigeria politicians lack idealogy. If a politician have a party idealogy need not move to another political party if he fails to realize his goals. This shows that most politicians are there in politics for their own selfish interest. It will take a long journey in our democracy for leaders to emerge solely for leadership purpose. This can only be possible if there is no more oil money to share.

What if the politician has seen the light and want the greater good of the masses, but would not achieve his aim under his current Umbrella?

Anybody who falls out d power equation in PDP immediately jumps into APC and is welcomed with open hands. Gemade will now bcome APC's senatorial candidate. And they tell me they are different and dat they'll bring change.
Of all people, APC is also wooing OBJ to join them. people who described them as Aggrieved People's Congress are right!
It's now clear dat all they want is to grab power by Any means possible.... smh

One by one they don dey come?
But APC should beware of party destroyers who pretend to be decampees , don't tell me i did not warn them oo

OrlandoOwoh:
What kind of political party is PDP, two of its former national chairmen, Audu Ogbe and Barnabas Gemade, from Benue State, have decamped to the opposition party?

[size=14pt] MY IDOMA FRIEND POSITED THAT BENUE PEOPLE ARE BEING ROBBED BY PDP THROUGH ELECTION RIGING.
THEY HAVE BEEN VOTING AGAINST PDP, BUT PDP DO THEIR FORCE-WINING[/size]

Olaolufred:


[size=14pt] MY IDOMA FRIEND POSITED THAT BENUE PEOPLE ARE BEING ROBBED BY PDP THROUGH ELECTION RIGING.
THEY HAVE BEEN VOTING AGAINST PDP, BUT PDP DO THEIR FORCE-WINING[/size]

perfectly right...... Currently in gboko benue state, watching as things unfold.

I think Next years election will be tough in benue state...

**Political harlots on the loose everywhere**






I can bet you that he's still going to win the primary after decamping 2days to the primary election.

You can now ask yourself where he campaigned.