PDP welcomes Saraki, Abdul Fatah, Ibeto’s Defection, As Okorocha Says Saraki’s Defection Is Of No Effect To APC

Featured Nigeria July 31, 2018 admin

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the resignation of the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, from the All Progressives Congress (APC). PDP in...

Senator Bukola Saraki

His Excellency, Chief Rochas Anayo Okorocha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has welcomed the resignation of the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Tuesday in Abuja also welcomed the Kwara State Governor, Ahmed Abdulfatah and the Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, to its fold.

PDP assured all returning members of all the rights and privileges accruable to every member of the party.

The party said that the coming of Saraki, Ahmed and Ibeto could not have been at a better time than now when Nigeria required the input of genuine patriots that would save her from an impending decline.

The party noted the harassment and intimidation that the duo of Saraki and Ahmed had suffered in the APC , “”which they helped to build and nurtured to win elections.’’

“”Sen. Saraki, in particular, has conducted the affairs of the Senate in reflection of the wishes of the silent majority of Nigerians and had emerged a hero of democracy.

“”The party has no doubts that Saraki, Ahmed and Ibeto will contribute immensely to the new order that engender good governance in our nation.’’

Meanwhile, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has said that the decision of Dr Bukola Saraki,President of the Senate, to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not in anyway affect the party’s electoral victory in 2019 general elections.

He stated this while speaking with newsmen at the party’s national secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja in reaction to the development.

Okorocha, who is also the chairman of the All Progressives Governor’s Forum, spoke after a closed-door meeting with Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s National Chairman.

“I don’t know when they joined the party and I don’t have to know when they are leaving the party.

“People are entitled to their opinions about how they see issues, political party is just like a vehicle with which you get to your point of destination.

“And if they find out that they can no longer get what they want in APC and they want to go to other parties, it is good luck.

“But the question you should ask me, is how that will affect the APC, I don’t see any way it can affect the party negatively,” Okorocha said.

He maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the 2019 presidential election even without the Senate President in the party.

Okorocha said this was especially so because Buhari was much stronger on ground now and would do better than he did before in terms of electoral victory come 2019.

He stressed that the decision of the Senate President to leave the APC was allowed, adding that as he leaves, many more people were finding their way into the party in their thousands.

“It’s neither here nor there, so we shouldn’t make a big issue out of it.

“Saraki is entitled to his political opinion and if he wants to leave, good luck to him and if the governor of Kwara, my colleague wants to leave, good luck.

“They are all responsible men and you cannot tie them down to where they don’t want to be,” Okorocha said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Saraki made his decision to leave the APC known via his Facebook account on Tuesday evening.

The President of the Senate wrote: “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

In a statement later on Tuesday, he expectedly named the PDP as his next political destination.

African Ad Network