PDP says defecting lawmakers will not return to APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says lawmakers who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not return to the party.

Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesman of the PDP, said this while reacting to the claim of Ita Enang, senior special assistant to the president on national assembly matters, that the defecting lawmakers would work for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Enang said those who left the ruling party did so over disagreement with governors and party leaders, not Buhari.

But Ologbondiyan advised the APC to stop hallucinating that the lawmakers will retrace their step to the party.

He said those who deserted the “sinking ship of APC”, did so in protest against the “incompetence” which has led to the unending killings, bloodletting and biting economic hardship across the nation in the last three years.

“The APC-led federal government has woefully failed to deliver on any of its promises and has nothing to showcase except a recourse to underhand tactics and intimidation of opponents and perceived enemies,” he said.

“Those who left the APC are therefore, no longer prepared to continue living a lie that everything is okay with our nation , whereas under the leadership of President Buhari, the drift towards anarchy, as well as the indices of a failing state, are very manifest.

“The PDP therefore, finds it ludicrous that the presidency can sit back and claim that compatriots, who have seen ahead that President Buhari is taking our nation to nowhere, will turn around and contemplate casting their votes for him in 2019.

“We, therefore, urge the Buhari presidency to stop its fantasy game and be ready to confront the crushing defeat that awaits him and his party in the 2019 general election.”

Also, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, says the defection of Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, and some members of national assembly to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a tip of the iceberg.

Ekweremadu said this on Saturday at the inauguration of the Agwu local government chapter of the Gburugburu Movement in Enugu state.

The movement is championing the reelection of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu.

The deputy senate president said PDP is the fastest growing political party in Africa.

“Defection of scores of federal lawmakers and the return of the governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, to the PDP is a tip of the iceberg,” Uche Anichukwu, spokesman of Ekweremadu, quoted him as saying.

“Spirits have been high within the PDP family and Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) for sometime now, especially following the joining and rejoining of the PDP and the coalition by scores of national and state assembly members as well as the governor of Benue state.

“We are happy for this. But I have good news for you. Nigerians have only witnessed a tip of the iceberg. More are on their way because it is no longer about anybody’s individual political ambition. It is now a movement to rescue Nigeria. So, we are not only the biggest political party, we are also the fastest growing political party in Africa today.

“I want to assure you that so many respected Nigerians have also keyed into this movement to rescue Nigeria because the world is now very worried for our nation. So, in a matter of months, Nigerians will go to the polls to enthrone a new order of peace, unity, security, and respect for the rule of law.”