One of them, Adedoyin Fusika, viewed the coming of Gbemi Saraki, known to have been in cat and dog relationship with her elder brother the Senate President, as opportunity long awaited to get a replacement for Bukola in Kwara politics should control remain with the Saraki dynasty. Gbemi’s major challenge, except she gets support from Abuja, will be in the preparedness of Kwara people who are currently holding meetings at various centres to ensure that control of the state politics no longer comes from the dictate of any of Sarakis.
Nigeria governing All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to media reports about perfected arrangement for Ali Modu-Sheriff, former National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to join the party from its National Secretariat.
It said the media report did not represent the exact truth.
In a two-paragraph statement personally signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party, which however admitted it was not unaware of the intentions of the person of Modu-Sheriff to join the party, made it clear that much as it welcomes new members that anybody with intent to join the APC must do that at the ward level.
There had been fears in certain quarters in Borno that Sheriff joining the party would pose a serious challenge to the peace, unity and strength with which the APC government of Borno has pushed firmly against the challenges of Boko Haram that had taken the state for a base.
In his reaction titled, “Re: Reports of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff planned defection to APC”, Bolaji Abdullahi, who is former Minister of Sports, said, “Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media that the former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
“While we are aware of such intentions, we wish to restate our earlier position that anyone who wants to join the Party should do so at the ward level. We are happy to welcome new members to our party, but membership cards are not issued at the Party National Secretariat,” he said.
…Borno APC blocks Sheriff, as Folarin, Uzodinma, Gulak, Gbemi Saraki, Gada others defect to APC
In the meantime, the planned defection to APC of Senator Modu Sheriff was marred with by confusion Thursday, as stakeholders from his native Borno State blocked him. Nevertheless, some of Sheriff’s associates in the PDP from other states were welcomed into the APC at the national secretariat of the party same day.
Among those who were welcomed into the governing party were Senator Hope Uzodinma from Imo State and Senator Gbemi Saraki, younger sister of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Senator Teslim Folarin, Ahmed Gulak, who served as political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan among other allies of Sheriff were welcomed to the APC.
Sheriff was, however, not seen around the national secretariat to be welcomed into the APC as had been planned for Thursday.
His absence, it was gathered, followed strenuous efforts made by APC members in Borno State who had protested his bid to re-enter the party from the national level.
Sheriff who was a pioneer member of the APC had left the party shortly after formation for the PDP and eventually became the national chairman of the opposition party.
His exit from the APC followed irreconcilable differences with his onetime political protégée, Governor Kashim Shettima who he had vowed to stop from returning to power in 2015.
The efforts at the state level to stop Sheriff received a boost from the statement earlier by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abudullahi, which said for whoever that would want to join the Party should do so at the ward level and that membership cards are not issued at the Party National Secretariat.
Reacting to the development in a statement in Abuja, Borno state APC chairman, Hon. Ali Bukar Bolori, said Sheriff was only trying to fly a kite by announcing his intention to join the party.
“We have read news on the Social Media yesterday evening and in some National dailies this morning, that the former Governor of our State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff will be received by our National Chairman today at the Headquarters of our great Party.
“I want to assure you that the news remains rumour because somebody is only trying to fly a kite, that is capable of causing dangerous confusion during the State Congresses in Borno State.”
The defectors were welcomed by the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha and other senior officials of the party.
Welcoming them Thursday, Odigie-Oyegun said they had come at the appropriate time as he said the party was about to commence congresses saying that they were free to join the process.
Oyegun, who is the first elected Governor of Edo State, nevertheless asked the new members to go to their respective wards to formally join the party.
Senator Gada who spoke on behalf of the defectors said: “We have joined the party to make it a formidable fighting force not only in Nigeria, but in Africa.”
SGF Boss Mustapha on his part said the defection had defined the course of the 2019 elections to the favour of the ruling party.
“From tonight, the narrative and trajectory of what will happen in 2019 has been defined. I once said that any party that does not grow, it is just a matter of time before it fizzles out.”
Governor Ganduje on his part said: “Today is a historic day because we have received a great faction. Infact the biggest faction of the PDP and I can say it is our luck that we are taking a better part of the PDP today.”
In the meantime, political analysts have picked the defection of Gbemi Saraki as the most spectacular of the various defectors ushered into the APC in Abuja on Thursday.
One of them, Adedoyin Fusika, viewed the coming of Gbemi Saraki, known to have been in cat and dog relationship with her elder brother the Senate President, as opportunity long awaited to get a replacement for Bukola in Kwara politics should control remain with the Saraki dynasty.
Gbemi’s major challenge, except she gets support from Abuja, will be in the preparedness of Kwara people who are currently holding meetings at various centres to ensure that control of the state politics no longer comes from the dictate of any of Sarakis.
