*Akpabio defecting to APC, Buhari’s aide confirms*

The Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, is defecting from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a presidential aide has said.


President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla, posted a message on Facebook, Saturday night, saying that Mr Akpabio will be received into APC on Thursday by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and other top leaders of the party at a rally in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state.

Mr. Obono-Obla also posted on the social media site a photo of Mr Akpabio with an APC leader, Bola Tinubu.

Information has been making the rounds since last week that Mr Akpabio, who is a former governor of Akwa Ibom, was perfecting his plan to leave the PDP.


There were speculations that the defection was delayed because Mr Akpabio was negotiating for some “favourable terms” for himself and his political supporters in the state.

It is claimed that the senator was asking for the position of the senate president and also that he should be made the APC leader in the state and the party political structure handed over to him.

PREMIUM TIMES, however, has not been able to independently verify these claims.

Mr Obono-Obla, in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, said: “Senator Akpabio is defecting to the APC, you can take that to the bank”.

It is claimed that the senator was asking for the position of the senate president and also that he should be made the APC leader in the state and the party political structure handed over to him.

markidoo:
I just wonder how he will campaign for Nsima Ekere against his successor Udom

Bethel4Life:
But i tot he is 5 % na?

KenOne:
APC should not make that mistake again of handing a PDP new comer the party structure. The party structure should remain with Nsima Ekere NDDC boss.

Unless they want another betrayal like Saraki, Tambuwal and Dogara after 2019 election. The best they could do for Akpabio is to give him ticket back to senate and a major stakeholder.

Bethel4Life:
But i tot he is 5 % na?

Aquariann:


Exactly. And asking for the SP position seems really big for me because there have been some loyal Northern senators holding the forte for APC in the senate all these years. The DSP looks fair enough.

Aquariann:


Exactly. And asking for the SP position seems really big for me because there have been some loyal Northern senators holding the forte for APC in the senate all these years. The DSP looks fair enough.

abescom:
The Senate president won't be from the north again judging by the statement credited to Buhari few days ago.

Aquariann:


What was the statement he made?

abescom:
I read a report in which he was quoted as saying he isn't happy that the president and Senate president are from northern states. More like he wanted someone from the south.

progress69:
Saraki eyes go clear 2019. Mark my words