APC Says Dogara’s Defection Not Surprising

• Speaker’s constituents present him PDP form

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Yakubu Dogara did not come it as a surprise judging by his alleged anti- party activities.

This is coming as supporters of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara  thursday presented nomination and expression of interest forms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to him, urging him to leave APC.

In a statement issued by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabene thursday, APC said that Dogara is in for a crushing defeat if tries to recontest his House of Representatives’ seat.

The party said: “Dogara’s reported defection has not come to us as a surprise. It was only a matter of time judging by Dogara’s anti-party antics in the National Assembly where in connivance with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, he exploited all available avenues to sabotage and undermine the APC-led executive.

“Dogara’s anti-party activities which enabled one of the opposition party’s sole victory in Bogoro Local Government Area (Dogara’s council) during the recent Bauchi South Senatorial bye-election won by the APC is another pointer, among several others,” it said.

While describing Dogara as a political paper weight, APC said it is empathisises with him on his confusion and despair over his bleak political future given the fact that he is not on ground politically in his place.

The party said Dogara was merely used by his political master to achieve their selfish political ends at the time, adding that they have since moved on to pursue their individual political aspirations and left Dogara in the
cold.

“We would advise Dogara against his ill-advised decision to recontest his House of Representatives’ seat under the opposition party he is linked with because a crushing and humiliating defeat surely awaits him,” it said.

Dogara’s constituents thronged his Abuja residence yesterday, saying they decided to present the PDP forms to the speaker as a result of “injustice meted on them by the APC”.

Aminu Tukur, a member of the delegation, told the speaker that the APC is now plagued by injustice and dictatorship.

“The day Buhari joined partisan politics in 2002, I was the only person from Bauchi that travelled and I have been with him since then,” he said.

“Mr. Speaker, I swear to almighty God that He spared my life. I and our people will vote for you and we urge you to heed to our cries and accept this form. We pray that God returns you to your seat. APC is not a religion as it is neither Islam nor Christianity.”

They had, on September 4, filed their ex parte application dated September 3, seeking, among other prayers, an interim injunction against the senator’s candidacy in the imminent governorship race.

On September 11, the plaintiffs’ counsel, B.J Komolafe, moved the ex parte application.

Ruling shortly after hearing the lawyer, the judge granted other prayers but refused the applicants’ prayer for restraining order.

The judge refused to grant an order restraining the INEC from recognising or giving effect to Adeleke’s nomination as PDP’s governorship candidate in the forthcoming poll slated to hold on September 22.

The judge also refused to grant another prayer by the applicants requesting an order directing or mandating Adeleke to show cause on why the court should not disqualify him from contesting the Osun State governorship election