Islanders Magazine

Over 1000 Obasanjo's loyalists dump PDP, decamp to APC

 

The political landscape is taking shape ahead of the 2015 battle. About 1,000 PDP members including the former National Treasurer, Bode Mustapha, who are loyals of President Olusegun Obasanjo in OgunState have defected to the APC.

Mustapha, also a former member of House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 who had earlier submitted his form of intent for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat, led other prominent members of the PDP including the former Chairman of Abeokuta North, Sunday Akintona. He described APC as a better alternative to PDP.

They warned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba against plunging the country into war following his removal of the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

Mustapha said, “In Nigeria, we love sentiments a lot. Do we know what can happen to Nigeria if anything should happen to Speaker Tambuwal? Nobody knows! The IGP should not put this country on fire. He should immediately restore Tambuwal’s security aides until a court of competent jurisdiction declares his seat vacant.

“He was elected as the primus inter-pares in the House of Representatives. He was elected as leader by his members and it is only his members that can remove him as Speaker or a court of competent jurisdiction. Then and only then can his security aides be withdrawn.

“When people were defecting to PDP, it was hosanna in Aso Rock to the extent that Governor Mimiko of Ondo State defected to the PDP.

"But whatever is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. When Tambuwal defected, you withdrew his security aides. Why didn’t you do same when Governor Mimiko defected to the PDP because he was elected on the platform of the Labour Party, LP?”

The APC state Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Lemboye, who received Mustapha’s form, promised that the APC would provide a level playing field for all aspirants in the state.