UPDATED: I’ll unseat Fintiri in 2023 -Senator Abbo

Senator Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa North) said he left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to contest for the state governorship election in 2023.

Senator also expressed optimism that he will defeat the state governor, Ahmadu Fintiri in the governorship poll in the state.

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Senator Abbo announced his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a letter addressed to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan and read during plenary on Wednesday.

Addressing newsmen after Senate plenary on Wednesday, the lawmaker said though he fought for Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s victory in 2019, the governor chased him out of PDP due to his alleged mismanagement of the party, which, Abbo said, had led to polarization.

He said: “I’m not overwhelmed by Governor Fintiri. I fought to bring him to power.

“The governor did not defeat me. The governor chased me out (of PDP). I actually gave way so I will go and take his seat from him.”

He said his defection to the APC is with effect from Wednesday, November 25, 2020.

With his defection, APC now has 60 senators, while PDP 42. The ninth Senate has six vacant seats.

His defection letter reads: “I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarization of the party in the state (PDP and rPDP).

“Today I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhamadu Buhari to build the Nigeria of our dreams.

“The journey may be long, but we are on the right track as I strongly believe that by the end of the tenure of Mr. President, Nigeria will be a better place.

“My Senate President Sir, it is worthy of note that in the history of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, specifically from 1999 till date, no President has paid attention to the welfare of Nigerian Citizens like President Muhamadu Buhari as it is evident in packages such as: i. Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT);
ii. Homegrown School Feeding Program (HGFP); iii. Trader Money; iv. Market Money; v. Farmers’ Money; vi. NPower; vii. Special Public Works Programme, currently employing 1000 persons from each of the 774 local Government Areas; viii. National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA): Buhari Young Farmer’s Network; ix. Artisans and Transportation Grants; x. Guaranteed Off-take Scheme. xi. CAC Business Formalization Scheme; xii. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Grants among others.

“Thus, in living up to the expectation of the good people of Adamawa North Senatorial District, I hereby defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with effect from today being Wednesday, the 25th day of November, 2020.”

You must vacate your seat -PDP 

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Senator representing Adamawa North, Elisha Abbo must vacate his seat in the Senate.

Abbo was elected on the platform of the PDP but dumped the party on Wednesday and pitched tent with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting to his defection, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said by his action, he must vacate the hallowed chamber of the Senate.

“He is fully aware of the constitutional implication of his decision to defect to another party; which is that he cannot continue to occupy the seat of the PDP in the Senate.

“The place of any Senators who changed parties except on the grounds provided by the Constitution is very clear and the PDP will not allow Senator Abbo to run away with our mandate. It is impossible.

“Our party had already commenced processes for his replacement with a credible, stable and acceptable person, to take over his seat in the Senate,” the PDP said.

Recall that Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state had also dumped the PDP for the APC on Tuesday last week.