After the elections were re-scheduled because of security issues, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost a lot of party members. Deputy governors and other lawmakers have been defecting from the PDP for different reasons.
Earlier, Naij.com reported about politicians who dumped the PDP and joined the opposition during the past few years. Now, we made a list of people who left the PDP just before the presidential election.
– Engr. Tele Renner Ikuru, the deputy governor of Rivers state, has announced his decision to dump the APC for the PDP on March 22, 2015.
According to a source, the inability of the deputy governor to secure the governorship ticked under the umbrella of his party has put him at a loss after many years of loyalty to Governor Amaechi.
“The Deputy Governor has been angry since he lost the APC governorship ticket to Dakuku Peterside. To compound his woes, the party Chairman (Davies Ikanya) hijacked the party structure of Andoni from him. But His Excellency (Amaechi) has been quiet. He did not do anything about it. He is not always in the state to address issues at home. It was all over the media that Deputy is not happy. He has been loyal to His Excellency for the past 7 years, especially during the Governor’s travails,” the source said.
– Ali Olanusi, the deputy governor of Ondo state, defected from the PDP on Thursday morning, March 26, 2015.
Mr Olanusi said he decided to join the APC after realizing that the party offers a platform where he can find justice, fairness and equity.
– Fred Ikhuebor, president Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign security chief in Edo state, led over 3,000 people to the APC in the state on February 9, 2015.
Ikhuebor said: “I now know the truth and I have decided to come back home, join the APC and play genuine politics.”
– Chinwoke Mbadinuju, a former governor of Anambra state, has abandoned his membership of the PDP to join the opposition on February 24, 2015.
Mbadinuju, who served as the state governor from 1999 to 2003, cited injustice and “the use and dump mantra” of the PDP as the reason for his decision.
– Senator Gbemi Saraki was expected to join the APC in the middle of March, however, there was no confirmation so far.
According to a statement of the Kwara state chapter of the APC made on March 16, the party would gladly receive one of the governorship aspirants of the PDP, Senator Saraki, if she finally decides to defect to APC.
Moreover, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari in an interview said Saraki’s defection would be a welcome development to APC. He further said she has yet to officially inform APC that she wants to defect.
Bonus: Engineer U.Oko, Buhari’s campaign coordinator in Cross River state, has defected to the ruling PDP all his supporters on March 27, 2015.
Barrister Legor Idagbo, the PDP candidate for the House of Representatives elections for Bekwarra, Obudu, Obanliku Federal Constituency, who thanked Oko for the bold step, stated that unlike the broom, the PDP’s umbrella was big enough to accommodate everyone.
Source: naij
