The All Progressives Congress (APC) has started negotiations with three more Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors for them to defect to the ruling party.
Newsflash Nigeria understands that talks with the governors have already reached advanced stages and they may soon follow in the footsteps of Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle in dumping the PDP for the APC.
A top-ranking member of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee revealed the governors APC is targeting as Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, his Enugu State counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, and that of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri.
“The Zamfara State, Bello Mattawalle, is already in the kitty. We expect at least 18 of our governors to attend his homecoming to Gusau today (Tuesday).
“After him, we are expecting Governor Ikpeazu to follow. Talks have reached an advanced stage. You know will be concluding his second term by 2023 and of course, he would want to remain politically relevant. Details of conditions are still being worked out by both parties.
“The other governors have sent emissaries and talks are progressing. Recall that we extended the membership registration/ revalidation exercise. We did this to accommodate some of these people.
“We expect that they and their supporters will take advantage of our ward, local government, and state congresses to get a foothold in the party, the APC is a party for all Nigerians,” the source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Punch correspondent on Monday.
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When contacted for a reaction to the fresh defection rumours, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, however, rubbished the news.
He accused the APC of going after important members of the PDP to boost its ranks and gain credibility because the ruling party has failed Nigerians.
The PDP spokesperson however added that Nigerians can no longer be deceived by their propagandas.
He said, “It is unfortunate that we have a ruling party that has completely lost focus. The APC is one political party that came to power using propaganda and still thinks it can sustain itself using the same means.
“They wish to have all of our governors in their midst because they are not performing, but Nigerians know the difference and can no longer be deceived.”
The Abia State Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, declined to comment on the matter when contacted for a reaction while the governor’s Chief Press Secretary was unreachable.
Similarly, efforts to get Governors Ugwuanyi and Fintiri’s reaction were unsuccessful as their media aides could not be reached as of press time.
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Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has claimed that corrupt politicians are dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be shielded from prosecution.
He stated this on Monday at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi when he received the National President Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) Comrade Lawrence Amaechi and his delegation.
The Benue governor stated that such a trend of defection to escape prosecution is wrong and should be discouraged.
