Defection: Yahaya Bello ‘a joker’, says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has described the claim by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, that nine more PDP governors would soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as a lie and a show of entertainment on television.
Bello, while appearing on a TV show claimed that more PDP governors would defect to the APC, saying that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers might be the last to join.
Ologbondiyan in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Friday said that people already knew Bello and his manner of talks.
“So, for us in the PDP, Bello simply went to entertain Nigerians on television yesterday (Thursday). He is a joker.
“If anybody tells you that 10 governors will leave PDP who would believe such? What is the attraction in APC?”
Ologbondiyan said that at the fullness of time, the reason for Umahi’s defection would be revealed to the public.
“If you watched his defection yesterday, the only thing you have for Umahi is pity because he was empty.
“Look at the people around him. If he was fighting because of the South East, how come the people around him were APC members from a particular side of our country?
“How come you cannot find Ohanaeze people? How come you cannot find the egalitarian and educated-minded people of the South-East standing with him on the podium?
“We are not going to engage him on whether Umahi has left the party or not. He has crossed the bridge and burned that particular bridge. There is no coming back for him.
“What we have for him in PDP is just pity.”
Ologbondiyan added that the PDP had a strong feeling that Umahi would soon know that his action was a miscalculated political step because even those in APC talking to PDP knew that APC was already divided.
Ologbondiyan, however, said that the party would take legal action against any PDP elected lawmaker in Ebonyi that defects to the APC.
He said that the matter was already discussed both at the party’s caucus meeting held on Wednesday and the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday.
“I want to place on record that any legislator elected on the platform of PDP in Ebonyi will not run away with our mandate. I want to assure Nigerians on that.
“We are going to challenge it and for the first time, we are going to subject that process to judicial test.
“It is clearly stated in the constitution that unless there is a division within the party, you cannot be a member of parliament and change party.”
Ologbondiyan also explained why the National Working Committee dissolved the PDP Ebonyi and South East Zonal executives.
He said that it would amount to absurdity for Umahi, who had left the party to hold the structure of both PDP and that of APC.
He said that the right process and the constitution of the PDP were followed in making the decision, adding that there would not be any crisis in the party because of the decision.
“Are you not aware that the APC has dissolved its own structure in Ebonyi State?
“The structure of APC was dissolved because they wanted Umahi to come in and take over.
“Would it not amount to absurdity for him to keep the structure of PDP and that of APC? So, what will they be going to court to say?”