The
leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has been thrown into panic following
an attempt by the All Progressives Congress to bring in Governor Bello
Matawalle of Zamfara State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his
Cross River State counterpart, Governor Ben Ayade, The
PUNCH has learnt.
The
negotiations are being handled by the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, who
is also the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee; and Governor Yahaya Bello
of Kogi State.
An
impeccable source within the APC told Sunday PUNCH that
Governor Ifeanyi Uguwanyi of Enugu State was also being targeted by the APC but
had declined their advances.
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“Uguwanyi
has been targeted but he is proving stubborn. Our aim is to ensure that we have
at least three South-East states out of the five ahead of the 2023 elections.
If we cannot get Ugwuanyi, we will ensure that we win the Anambra governorship
election which comes up later in the year,” he said.
It was
learnt that Governor Matawalle of Zamfara State had already been accepted by
top All Progressives Congress leaders in Zamfara State like a former governor
of the state, Senator Ahmed Yerima, who had stated publicly that Matawalle
would defect.
A
PDP chieftain said, “Matawalle became governor through a Supreme Court ruling.
Zamfara State is still very much APC and Matawalle is seeking a second term in
office. He has been able to establish a good relationship with President
Muhammadu Buhari.
“He
has also been at loggerheads with the leadership of the PDP. In November 2020,
Matawalle lashed out at the South-South governors of the PDP for generating bad
blood in the party.
“He
said he was disappointed with the South-South governors for sparking the
controversy over the Zamfara gold issue and even said he was not surprised by
the decision of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State to dump the PDP for the
APC. He is therefore expected to join APC soon.”
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“Bala
Mohammed is also seeking a second term. His recent statements on herdsmen and
his refusal to blame the Federal Government are due to his relationship with
the Presidency. We have made frantic efforts to keep him in the party but it
seems he may have made up his mind,” he said.
For
Governor Ayade of Cross River State, it was learnt that he had fallen out with
his predecessor, Senator Liyel Imoke.
It
was learnt that Ayade had lost control of the PDP structure in the state.
A former
Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, is also expected to leave the PDP
soon along with some governors before the registration exercise of the APC
ends.
“The
recent membership drive is being championed by Governor Buni, Governor Yahaya
Bello; Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and the Attorney-General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN). These are people who have the power to give
you what the PDP cannot give.
“They have the President’s backing to make
promises and keep them. They are not like Bola Tinubu and Adams Oshiomhole who
were not empowered by the President,” a former governor stated.
Meanwhile,
it was learnt that former President Goodluck Jonathan had not made any
commitment to join the APC as of Saturday evening.
An
associate of the former President said indeed Jonathan was not happy with the
PDP which informed his support for the APC candidate in the last governorship
election in his home state of Bayelsa, Mr. David Lyon.
It
was, however, learnt that Jonathan saw the move as too risky.
“Jonathan
would have joined the APC but the problem is that it is too risky. At his
level, the only thing you can promise him is the Presidency and no one can
promise him that seat because politics is too unpredictable. So, for now, he
will remain in the PDP,” he said.
The
National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, had on Saturday alleged
that the leadership of the APC is giving false promises to some members of the
opposition party to enable them to defect to the ruling party.
Secondus
told The PUNCH that there had
been many moves by the ruling party to woo members of the PDP into its fold,
saying the purpose of the APC was to snatch the PDP members but later refuse to
give them any meaningful role in the party in future.
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