LG election: 7 APC aspirants defect to PDP in Nasarawa

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

Seven aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirants in the forthcoming local government election in Nasarawa state have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This was made known to journalists yesterday at a reception hosted to welcome the defectors at a ceremony held at the state secretariat of the party in Lafia, which was attended by the state Deputy Chairman, Dameshi Barau Luka and former Minister of state of the Ministry of Interior, Alhaji Hussaini Akwanga, among others.

Luka, in a remark, claimed that the APC has no capacity to contain the political atmosphere in the state, stressing that time has come to separate the grain from the shaft.

Commenting on the preparations towards the council polls slated for Saturday, March 22, Luka urged the people to ignore what he termed propaganda “going on in empty environment”, as demonstrated by the rallies being hosted by the APC.

“From the scene of these rallies, it is clear only the Governor and his cabinet members attend such gatherings”, Luka said.

He urged PDP supporters in the state to seek to protect their votes, adding that the party has the support of the people.

Luka however warned the authorities against subverting the state electoral law, as according to him, “no one has the power, the audacity to declare results in Lafia”, adding that such a decision will amount to inciting chaos.

“We are calling on government as the custodians of peace to ensure that the right thing is done”, he stated.

The Nasarawa deputy governor equally called on the Nasarawa Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC), to ensure it abides by the law guiding its activities.

In a welcome address, state party chairman, Yunana Iliya, while welcoming the decampees on behalf of the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Muazu, described the APC as a party formed in a hurry, having no ideology.

He took a swipe at the recently concluded APC primaries for the council polls as “kangaroo”, where he said those who won were denied victory, saying that the PDP chose the part of consensus, with all the aspirants happy with the outcome of the decision taken by the party.