Omo Egurhie, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Campaign Council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says the defection of former PDP National Chairman, Ahmadu Muazu, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not affect the fortunes of the party in the general election.
Director of Administration of the Council, Alhaji Maigari Mohammed Khanna, stated this, on Thursday, in Bauchi, saying that Mu’azu abandoned the party after PDP lost the 2015 election.
Khana, who is the spokesperson of the Bauchi State PDP gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Bala Mohammed, also said that the defection of former Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, to the APC was not a big deal.
He recalled that Yuguda did not defect from PDP to APC, rather from the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) as he abandoned the party after PDP lost in 2015.
Mu’azu, Yuguda, and a former Secretary to the Federal Government, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, and 13 others were announced during the flag-off of APC campaign in Bauchi by President Muhammadu Buhari last Saturday. But Mu’azu was absent.
Khana also recalled that Mu’azu, a former Governor, had resigned after PDP lost the 2015 general election.
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He said: “Mu’azu dumped the party and left the country, even during the flag off campaign of the APC in Bauchi, he wasn’t there.
“On the other hand, Yuguda announced his departure from PDP after the last general election and has since not returned.
“He contested on the platform of GNP for senate but lost. Former Secretary to the Federal Government Mahmud Yayale Ahmed was not a PDP member.
“The last time Yayale was in touch with PDP was in 2015 when he contested the primary election and lost. Since then we did not see him in any PDP activities or function.”
Maigari said the only two people that belonged to the PDP among the 18 defectors are two former deputy governors of Bauchi State, Abdulmalik Mahmud and Deputy PDP National Chairman, Babayo Gamawa.
He explained, “You would remember that the PDP national headquarters had suspended Gamawa from the party for alleged anti party activities and for not participating in any PDP activities for the last six months.
“Even if they call him, for the last six month he is not in PDP, but for Mahmud, he was a member since he did not have any office, maybe we can say he is the only one that left PDP the others ceased to be PDP members long ago.”
He said the supporters of Mu’azu, Yuguda, Yayale and others did not defect along with them to APC the 18 defected to APC
“We expected to see the likes of Yuguda, Mu’azu and co and join APC with thousands of their supporters but that was not the case as they defected alone.”
Khana stressed that defection did not shake the PDP campaign council and its Governorship candidate.
He said, “Bauchi People love PDP and the party has the capacity to handle the likely challenges that may confront it as a result of the defection of new members outside the party but we thank God these people are not from PDP.”