* We Will Accept Them If They Are Ready To Play By Our Rules - APC

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who dumped the party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2019 general elections are already working their ways to return to the ruling party ahead of the 2023 general elections, Daily Independent has gathered.

The year 2018 witnessed a gale of defections of prominent politicians between the APC and the PDP. Some of the political bigwigs who dumped the APC for PDP are Bukola Saraki, former Senate President; Dino Melaye; Abdulfatah Ahmed, former Kwara State governor; Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto State; Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue State; Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Jim Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra State.

Others are Barnabas Gemade, Ibrahim Danbaba, Shaaba Lafiagi, Ubali Shittu, Rafiu Ibrahim, Suleiman Hunkuyi, Isa Misau, Monsurat Sunmonu, Soji Akanbi, Usman Nafada, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Suleiman Nazif and Abdulaziz Nyako.

Prominent PDP members, who defected to APC before the 2019 elections are Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom State, who is now the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs; Emmanuel Uduaghan, former Delta State governor and others.

Speaking with our correspondent, a member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) said following the loss of the PDP and its presidential candidate in the 2019 elections, some of the politicians who left the APC have been making moves to return to the fold.

He, however, failed to disclose their names, saying, “Nigerians will see for themselves in the coming days.

“Some of these bigwigs who left the APC for PDP are already negotiating to find their ways back into our party. This may be due to a number of factors but primarily it may be connected to the dismal performance of their party in last year’s general elections and recently the Kogi and Bayelsa polls”, he said.

On whether it has nothing to do with persecution or threats by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he said, “That is not true. It may be because of just wanting to belong to the mainstream political party. No reasonable politician will desire to stay in a party that is out of power except you are very principled.

“Also, it may be due to appointments or other political patronages. But I don’t think it has to do with EFCC or corruption cases because they have seen from the case of Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia State governor, that President Muhammadu Buhari has zero tolerance for corruption and if you are indicted and found guilty, no amount of APC membership can save you from going to jail”, he said.

When asked if the APC will be willing to receive the prodigal politicians, Lanre Issa-Onilu, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, said they will be accepted into the fold if they are willing to play by the laid down rules of the party.

“We don’t have a policy that banishes people. What we have is a template of good governance, of upholding the best democratic principles.
“So, anybody who considers himself good enough to operate by the rules, such a person is welcome into our party”, he said.

In his response, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, said the statement that some of its party members are seeking a return to the APC is untrue.

He said some unscrupulous elements having failed in their quest to cause crisis in the PDP are fabricating rumours of an impending implosion in the party, adding that no PDP member has written to the party notifying its leadership of joining the APC or any other political parties.

“The PDP does not respond to rumours, innuendos and beer parlour gossips. The PDP is a structured political party with established organs, much more than any other political party in Nigeria. And as such it has an established format of carrying out its activities.

“The PDP as we speak is very united under the able leadership of Prince Uche Secondus and till this moment, no member of our party has written to the party leadership that they are leaving the PDP for the APC or any other political party”, he said.

DonFreshmoney:


This is a bogus news and a figment of the writer imagination. People just sit down and create rubbish, then decide to post it because they think all Nigerians are gullible enough to swallow. Its only a paper weight politician that would think of defecting to APC in 2020 (3 years before general election). Infact, APC without buhari in 2023 would be like meat pie without meat..

Snowale:
Buhari, the best president this country has ever had, and If possible, I will vote for him again and again.

post=85780143:
Prostitute politicians everywhere!!

90% of them have nothing to offer the masses.

Criminals jumping from parte after parte!

LAguy:
He said...

"The PDP as we speak is very united under the able leadership of Prince Uche Secondus"

Let them be careful of the word "United" o... even Manchester United no get option...them for don commot am for their name and change am to Manchester Liverpool...

PDP na joke.........

KaydenJohny:
[s][/s]
just like criminal terrorist buhari

BabaO2:
Saraki is the worst looser, he lost his prestige, invisibility, hype and relevance in politics

Snowale:
Buhari, the best president this country has ever had, and If possible, I will vote for him again and again.

KaydenJohny:
[s][/s]
Buhari is the worst president since mankind
he's a criminal terrorist vagabond gworo chewing bastard burukutu sipping gorilla

Snowale:
LOL, you still have 3 years of sorrowful. And by 2023, Atiku will be the next president, for 8 years, in total you have 11 years of sorrow, pain and most importantly wailing

Ashabbiiee:
Is that why they are demolishing Saraki's house so he can join them?