•No one can seize South East with defections, says Peter Obi
•Tinubu’s one-party state unfolding — ADC
•I stay firmly with PDP—Dickson
•3 extra PDP govs’ll quickly resign — Fayose
By Henry Umoru, Luminous Jannamike & John Alechenu, ABUJA
Abuja—The presidential candidate of Labour Occasion within the 2023 election, Peter Obi, African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, yesterday railed the spate of defection of governors and lawmakers from different events, significantly Peoples Demcratic Occasion, PDP, to ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Recall that governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, had on Tuesday defected to the APC with members of the state government council, whereas his colleague in Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, yesterday resigned from the PDP with the 23 lawmakers within the state, preparatory to their defection to APC.
A number of senators and members of the Home of Representatives have additionally, prior to now, defected to APC from the PDP, Labour Occasion, and New Nigeria Peoples Occasion, NNPP.
Reacting to the event yesterday, Peter Obi stated the continued defections by state governors within the South East wouldn’t assure the political seize of the zone.
In an announcement launched by his media staff, Obi defined that Nigeria was at present a democracy, not below navy rule, the place states may very well be “captured.”
In accordance with him, the individuals will finally resolve the place to go, not governors or senators, and no celebration will seize or win any state simply because it has a governor.
Talking particularly on the defection of Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, and APC’s alleged transfer to seize the South-East for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, Obi stated: “Peter Mbah is an efficient pal of mine. And I consider that as governor, he will need to have taken his resolution primarily based on his personal political opinions and calculations.
“As for the alleged plot to seize the South-East, we’re not in a navy time while you seize individuals. You’re a chief. You are likely to do the suitable issues for them to observe you. So I don’t suppose anyone is capturing wherever. The federal government must do extra if it needs the individuals to help it.”
Talking on the deliberate protest for the discharge of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by political activist, Omoyele Sowore, the previous Anambra State governor stated: “I’ve all the time been constant on Nnamdi Kanu’s state of affairs.
“There was no want for his arrest within the first place. And I’ve all the time stated that for me, I’ll seek the advice of, negotiate and focus on with anyone who’s agitating. I stated it clearly and I stay there.
“I thank those that are literally attempting to do or say what we’ve been saying for a very long time. Go and test what I’ve stated earlier than 2020, 2022 and even 2024. And now that it has gone to courtroom, the principles must be adopted. Not only for Nnamdi Kanu, however for all agitators throughout the nation. Let’s dialogue with them”
“There’s nothing incorrect with anyone agitating or saying let’s dialogue with them. And no matter we do with them, let’s observe the principles. So I thank the organisers and those that are concerned.”
On his expectations from the brand new INEC chair, forward of the 2027 election, Obi declared: “Quite simple. He’s a Nigerian. We would like a brand new Nigeria the place elections might be free, truthful and credible and our individuals who have the competence, capability, compassion, character and dedication to steer the nation are elected.
“It’s for the nice of everyone. None of us goes to be right here perpetually, and none of us goes to be in his place perpetually. So no matter place we discover ourselves in, it’s to do the suitable factor. So I want him nicely.
“When he (Amupitan) is confirmed, I’ll congratulate him and inform him to know that at some point, he’s going to depart that put up. Let him be sure that he retains his status.”
Obi was stated to have spoken to reporters on the sidelines of a marketing campaign alongside the African Democratic Congress, ADC, chairmanship candidate for Abuja Municipal Space Council, AMAC, within the February 2026 FCT Council elections, Dr Moses Paul, on a go to to LEA Nursery/Major College, Kapwa, a suburb of Abuja, saying training was the bedrock of any society.
He additionally decried the dilapidated state of the varsity, noting that the varsity furnishings was in “irreparable situations.”
Obi puzzled why a faculty with over 200 pupils had no rest room amenities, and promised to provide the varsity a facelift.
“A very powerful factor we will do as a nation is to put money into fundamental training. Funding in youngsters is an important.
“I’m right here at the moment to help my brother, Dr Moses Paul, the ADC candidate contesting for the AMAC council. You already know he’s campaigning and going around the communities in his constituency,’’ he stated.
Tinubu’s one-party state unfolding — ADC
On its half, African Democratic Congress, ADC, stated the defection of Governor Peter Mbah to APC and resignation of his Bayelsa States counterpart, Douye Diri, have confirmed its long-held warning that President Bola Tinubu was decided to show Nigeria right into a one-party state.
The celebration made the accusation in an announcement signed by its Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, describing the defections as a betrayal of the individuals and a harmful signal for Nigeria’s democracy.
In accordance with ADC, whereas the defections may seem to strengthen the APC, they, in reality, characterize a loss for democracy and a deliberate effort by the ruling celebration to weaken the opposition and consolidate unchecked energy.
“The current defections by the governors of Enugu and Bayelsa states to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, validate African Democratic Congress, ADC’s long-standing warning that President Bola Tinubu is set to show Nigeria right into a one-party state, irrespective of the fee to democracy or nationwide stability,” Abdullahi stated.
The celebration accused the defected governors of abandoning their residents and aligning with a authorities that had, in its phrases, made life ‘depressing’ for majority of Nigerians.
“Whereas it could appear to be the APC has added extra governors to its column, in actuality, what has occurred is these governors have truly deserted their individuals to staff up with the ruling celebration that has made life depressing for almost all,” the ADC added.
The celebration stated Nigerians have been already residing by means of the every day failures of the APC authorities, citing insecurity, financial hardship, and poor social welfare as proof of misgovernance.
“Nigerians can see the present state of the nation. They dwell by means of the APC’s failures each single day. Even those that as soon as campaigned for the APC or had its emblem on their social media profiles now keep away from affiliation with the celebration,” Abdullahi stated.
He added that the Tinubu administration had failed in all main areas of governance, together with insecurity, financial administration, healthcare, anti-corruption, and international coverage.
“Each day, Nigerians are paying the value for these failures. Meals costs proceed to extend, jobs are non-existent, and insecurity continues to choke each a part of the nation,” the ADC acknowledged.
The celebration condemned the defected governors for what it described as an act of historic ‘political apostasy,’ saying that they had abdicated their function as opposition leaders who ought to have defended the individuals and offered different options.
“When the ruling celebration has misgoverned the nation, the one hope for the individuals in a democracy is for the opposition to stand up in defence, suggest different concepts, and lead the individuals out of their distress. As an alternative, they abdicated. And in an act of historic political apostasy, they selected to hitch the grand conspiracy towards the Nigerian individuals,” the celebration stated.
The ADC, nonetheless, maintained that the opposition coalition stays undeterred by the defections, insisting that the road between these preventing for nationwide redemption and people pursuing egocentric pursuits has grow to be clearer.
“Whereas the ruling celebration continues to have a good time the defection of those governors, the ADC and the opposition coalition are equally delighted that the road has been made even clearer between those that are dedicated to saving the nation and those that merely wish to be part of the gravy prepare,” the ADC acknowledged.
Abdullahi declared that the 2027 common elections wouldn’t merely be a political contest however a decisive wrestle between the Nigerian individuals and what he referred to as ‘Tinubu’s gang of governors.’
“The individuals can see, and they’re ready. 2027 might be a transparent battle between the individuals of Nigeria and President Tinubu and his gang of governors within the APC,” he stated.
I stay firmly with PDP —Dickson
In his response, former governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, stated he was not a part of the motion of Governor Douye Diri from Peoples Democratic Occasion, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, He vowed to stay firmly within the PDP, dedicated to defending Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, insisting that the PDP remained the one celebration that had offered the Niger Delta with real political inclusion on the nationwide degree.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Dickson, who described the defection as “unhappy” and “ridiculous,” warned that the rising development of politicians abandoning opposition events for the ruling APC was undermining Nigeria’s democratic pluralism.
He stated: “I stay the place I’ve all the time been, within the PDP. I don’t consider Nigeria must be a one-party state. As a soldier of democracy, I’m used to the ups and downs of political life. I stay steadfast within the PDP, working with colleagues to make sure that the issues within the celebration are solved.
“I hope the governors and the management who created the mess in our celebration, as an alternative of displaying management, will now take duty. It is extremely unhappy. It makes Nigeria look small and makes our democracy look ridiculous.”
The senator lamented what he referred to as a tradition of political opportunism amongst Nigerian politicians, contrasting it with Ghana’s extra steady democratic expertise.
He added: “In Ghana, when President Mahama misplaced elections, he stayed in his celebration. When Akufo-Addo’s celebration later misplaced, they stayed. President Mahama contested once more, received, and was congratulated by his opponent, even earlier than the ultimate tally. That’s democracy.
“In Nigeria, politicians decamp on the slightest alternative. No matter they’re pursuing or no matter is pursuing them belittles our democracy and endangers our multiparty system.
“I stay standing within the PDP, the celebration that gave my individuals and the Niger Delta the chance to supply a vice chairman, an performing President, and a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This different celebration can not try this.”
Dickson famous that whereas the PDP had inside points, the answer laid in reforming the celebration, somewhat than abandoning it.
He stated: “If, nonetheless, we don’t reach saving the PDP, then we might be a part of a collective resolution however that shouldn’t be to hitch the ruling celebration. There should all the time be opposition. A democracy with out opposition ceases to be democracy; it turns into dictatorship and totalitarianism.”
He disclosed that Governor Diri consulted him a number of instances earlier than the defection however stated he noticed “no compelling cause” for a second-term governor to depart the celebration that introduced him to energy.
“Since I left workplace, in contrast to others, I’ve not performed godfather. I made no requests, no calls for, no strain. I’ve solely been out there for session and recommendation.
‘’On this case, the governor consulted me a number of instances, to his credit score. I used to be not satisfied as a result of I noticed no compelling cause for a second-term governor to defect,’’ Senator Dickson stated.
3 extra PDP govs will quickly resign — Fayose
In the meantime, former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has claimed that three extra governors elected on the platform of the PDP would quickly dump the opposition celebration.
Fayose made the declare whereas talking on Politics In the present day, a Channels Tv programme, following the resignation of Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, from the PDP.
In accordance with him, the opposition celebration could quickly be left with solely 5 governors as inside crises proceed to plague its ranks.
He stated:”Let me let you know, there are three extra governors that can depart quickly. There might be 5 remaining. The 5 remaining, certainly one of them will wrestle to catch the ticket, they usually all know that the ticket is an unusual tissue paper.
“They’re largely killing the celebration as a result of they wish to management it. That is what occurred in 2023.”
Fayose dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu had been coercing opposition governors to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He argued that many of the defecting governors have been performing out of self-interest and political calculation.
“President Tinubu shouldn’t be blamed for PDP’s issues. The PDP is sick and stays perpetually sick with out a remedy in view,” he acknowledged.
The previous governor maintained that the disaster throughout the PDP is the results of inside sabotage by a few of its leaders.
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