Ex-Speaker defects in absentia, joins Kebbi PDP with thousands of supporters

 
Second Republic former Speaker of Kebbi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Dan Musa Ribah, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with more than 6000 of his followers in Danko Wasagu area of Kebbi State.
The ex-Speaker defected in absentia as he was said to have been whisked away by unknown persons hours before he was to formally made his intention known.
This was confirmed weekend by the Kebbi State chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Haruna Saidu, in Ribah, Danko Wasagu local government area while receiving the former Speaker and other decampees at a rally in Ribah.
Though he said Alhaji Dan Musa could not attend the ceremony organized for him and his followers in Ribah because he was taken away by unknown persons, he assured that the ex-Speaker had given his consent for his defection to be announced.
He explained that before the defection ceremony, the ex-Speaker had informed him that he had decided to leave the ruling party because the unfair manner he was treated by the APC.
“We are here in Ribah because he gave me his words that he had left APC for the PDP. He has directed his supporters and community people to move to the PDP and we are receiving them today”.
Meanwhile, the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Isah Galaudu, has expressed delight with the defection stating that the PDP was waxing stronger in Kebbi on daily basis.
He assured the defectors of equal treatment in the party and promised to offer credible leadership when elected as the state governor in 2019.
“I will promise to offer good leadership and transparent administration for the good of Kebbi people when elected governor”, he said.
Electoral Acts: UPN backs Buhari on assent refusal
The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has thumbed up for President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to withhold accent on the amended Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly.
The party equally faulted a threat by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to boycott the 2019 general election if the President’s decline to sign the Bill into law.
In a statement issued in Sokoto over the weekend and signed by the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Sokoto, the party said there was nothing to worry about President Buhari’s decision.
According to the UPN Director General of the party’s Presidential Campaign, also added that certain actions were meant to cause confusion in the polity.
“The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) is in total support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to withhold accent on the amended electoral act.
“One wonders where was the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) when the leadership of the National Assembly went for unnecessary and unwarranted long vacation forgetting that there was an electoral act waiting for President urgent attention.
“Closing National Assembly for that long period of time indicates that, the actions are deliberate attempt to either cause confusion or cast aspersion to the person of President Muhammadu Buhari or his government,” the party stated.
However, the party urged electorate to be careful and watchful on the antics and actions of some politicians and political organizations which, it alleged were planning to cause confusion as it becomes glaring clear that they will lose the forthcoming elections.
Also, the UPN has distanced itself from the activities of the CUPP, stating that the coalition is nothing but a willing tool to be used by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as partners in the act of propaganda and may be used for some dirty political actions.
It advised the public to disregard the CUPP’s threat to boycott 2019 election.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) is not among parties that endorsed Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate, our candidate remains Alhaji Auwal Mohammad Wakil,” Abdullahi Sokoto said.