Top shots of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday met with former President Goodluck Jonathan over the lingering crisis rocking the leading opposition party.
The meeting was held hours after a former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection, Daily Trust can report, is part of the realignment for the 2023 politicking.
Also yesterday, a daughter of a former Senate President, David Mark, Blessing Onu, a member of the House of Representatives announced her defection from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to the APC on the floor of the House.
At the end of their meeting, Saraki, who chairs the PDP national reconciliation committee, said Jonathan was not contemplating decamping to APC. He said the former president has assured them of his readiness to offer his experience and resources to return PDP to power in 2023.
There have been reports that Jonathan is under intense pressure to join the ruling party ahead of the 2023 politicking.
Saraki said: “We are members of the national reconciliation and strategy committee set up by the party and part of our task is to meet with our former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
“We are here to let him know what our plans are and also to hear his own views and advice on what we need to do and how to do it, as well as how we need to strengthen the party and reconcile aggrieved members to bring about unity and focus in our party,” he said.
Describing their meeting as successful, Saraki said: “He gave us his views and we are very happy. He reassured all of us of his commitment to the PDP and he told us that he is still ready to offer his time, experience and resources to strengthen the party and that is very strong and important to us.
“Of course, you know there are funny issues going on but we are leaving this place very happy. He is also ready to work with the reconciliation committee to play his own role. That is a great step for the party. We have put that behind us and all those people of the other party that would like to come and disturb our leaders.”
The meeting, which lasted for about two hours, was attended by former governors of Katsina, Gombe and Cross River states, Ibrahim Shema, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Liyel Imoke, among others.
Gbenga Daniel, Ihejirika others join APC
Gbenga Daniel, who led the campaign team of the presidential candidate of PDP Abubakar Atiku in 2019, yesterday defected to the APC.
He was received last night into APC at his Asoludero residence, Sagamu, by five governors; Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger).
Bello, who chairs APC registration committee, presented broom, a symbol of APC to formally welcome Daniel into the party.
Responding, Daniel said the decision to join APC was “well considered and thought out.”
Also, a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika, on Tuesday formally joined the APC.
Ihejirika, who was the Chief of Army Staff under Jonathan, made his declaration to join the APC at his Isuikwuato country home in Abia-North Senatorial District.
Similarly, a member representing Bauchi federal constituency, Rep. Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi has decamped from the Peoples Redemption Party (Bauchi,PRP) to APC.
Reacting, PDP in the South-West said yesterday that the defection of former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Gbenga Daniel to the APC was akin to “decamping from APC to APC.”
The party, through its Zonal Director of Media and Publicity, Lere Olayinka, described the defection “as funny and laughable.”
In a statement, the party said both Daniel and Omisore had long defected to APC.
It said APC must be embarrassed that well-meaning Nigerians refused to openly associate with its membership registration, so the party is now making up defections for public deception.
In Benue, prominent political parties yesterday reacted to the defection of Mark’s daughter to the APC.
Our correspondent reports that Mrs Onuh defected to the APC in her country home, Otukpo in an elaborate ceremony late last year.
Reacting, the Acting State Publicity Secretary of APC, James Ornguga, said, “the decamping of Lady Blessing Onuh, Senator David Mark’s biological daughter to APC holds much prospects for our party in the Benue South Senatorial District.”
But, State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Bemgba Iortyom said, “PDP in Benue doesn’t lose sleep over the activities of politicians, particularly those of opposing political parties because the party is assured of its solidity in the state.”
From Ismail Mudashir, Hamisu Kabir Matazu, Balarabe Alkassim (Abuja), Hope Abah Emmanuel (Makurdi), Peter Moses (Abeokuta) & Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos)
