PDP rejects Ganduje’s claim more govs plan to join APC

From Lateef Ibrahim and Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the position of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, that more governors of the leading opposition party plan to join the APC.

The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Kola Olagbondoya, said yesterday when contacted by Peoples Daily for a reaction that the PDP does not believe its governors are planning to cross over to the ruling APC.

“How would that solve their problems in the first place. They should remember that Nigerians are hungry and expect the APC government to work towards improving their purchasing power, the PDP spokesman said.

He added:” The APC should work hard to secure the nation. It is foolhardy for them to pander to the notion that our governors are planning to join them.”

They have failed woefully, that is why they are flying such a kite,.”

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state had on Suterday revealed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) party is making preparation to receive more governors from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 elections.

Recall that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River state had recently dumped the PDP for APC, while there are also speculations that Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State may also join the ruling party anytime soon.

Ganduje made the revelation when members of the APC Registration/Revalidation Appeals Committee, paid him a courtesy call at Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, Saturday, with Faruq Adamu Aliyu chairing the Committee.

“For your information, there are indications that more governors are coming to our great party, the APC, from other places. Our internal democracy is waxing stronger day by day,” Ganduje was quoted in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar to have said.

He dispelled the rumours that some members of the party in the state were marginalized during the about the registration/revalidation exercise held recently, saying, “As far as we are concerned nobody was marginalised in the exercise.”

“If some people feel they are marginalised in the exercise, our doors are still opened. So we are ready to register any one, no matter his position, no matter his opinion about us and the party.

“Abusing governor, even if it is on 24 hours basis, is not part of the offences in our party rules and regulations that attract any penalty. Therefore we can still register all members, even if their habits are abusive.”

“I understand that there is no single petition from Kano, forwarded to your committee. So even if somebody comes and petitions, please tell that person to come and get registered,” he appealed.

While commending the committee for the good job done, Ganduje further explained that, “Whatever kind of Internal election we are going to conduct, it is absolutely important to see this in place. There is no better time to have this exercise than now.”

“I want use this opportunity to congratulate you for getting us more entrants into our party. We thank you for the good exercise conducted. This makes our party to wax stronger and improve internal democracy,” he said.

In his remarks, Aliyu, who led the committee, said “It was out of good concern and consideration from the part of the governor, to see the committee and commend us for the exercise.”

“Your Excellency there is no petition from Kano state. And when some people came and found out that some claims were mere allegations against the exercise, that were not true, we also came and found out that no substantive petition comes from the state,” he disclosed.

He thanked the governor for his effort in managing the affairs of the party in the state effectively, adding that, “Your Excellency, we are very grateful for all your efforts in seeing that our great party moves to the next level.”