From John Adams, Minna
One out of the two People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Local government Chairmen, in Niger state, the chairman of Magama local government council in Niger state Alhaji Safyanu Yahaya has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
The defection of the chairman is coming barely one week after the party lost the house of representatives by-election to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Yahaya’s defection is contained in a letter he wrote to the APC Magama local government area chapter through the chairman All Progressives Congress Ibelu Ward dated 11th February 2021 and titled “Notice of my decision to join the ruling party, All Progressives Congress.
“It is with great pleasure and reverence to Allah I bring to your notice my resolve to decamp from PDP to the ruling APC” the letter reads.
According to him “The decision and resolve is “predicted” (predicated) upon my desire to contribute meaningfully to the success of the party in the state and beyond
“I have come to respect APC due to its progressive nature and existence of men of Calibre and focus that is piloting it’s affairs at all levels of the party in the state and country at large
” I have come to know that the PDP has lost touch with reality” Yahaya concluded in the letter copied to the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the Special Adviser Political Matters to the Governor, the Special Adviser to the Governor Zone C.
However all attempt to get the reaction of the People’s Democratic Party Caretaker Committee was abortive as it was gathered that the tenure of the committee lapsed a week ago resulting all members of the panel returning to the states from where they were appointed.
” We cannot comment on any matter now, our tenure expired last Friday and we have not been asked to continue, the NEC was supposed to meet on Tuesday to take a decision but for one reason or the other they could not meet
” I can tell you in confidence that we are aware, we are aware from begining to the time he wrote the letter” a member of the caretaker committee told THISDAY on condition of anonymity.
However the Director of Administration of the PDP Alhaji Jibrin Ndagi Akwanu when contacted on phone confirmed the story.
Asked what step the party will take Akwanu said ” We are handicapped by the law because he is an executive chairman, we cannot take him to court
” If he was a legislators we would have dragged him to court to make him relinquish the position, but what I will tell you is that as he leaves many others are coming into our party” Akwanu said.
He alleged that some unnamed people forced Yahaya to defect but did not elaborate.
With the development the PDP is now left with only one Executive Council Chairman Alhaji Hussain Aliyu Lemu of Gbako local government council.