Sunday Clement, Yola
Leaders of the North-East chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, extended their hands of felicitation to the New PDP governors and their
supporters and urged them to denounce the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the APC “as your body language and actions have indicated that you are progressive-minded Nigerians”.
National Vice Chairman, North East, Alhaji Umaru Duhu, with APC stalwarts, paid a Sallah homage to Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State at the Government House, Yola.
They insisted that as progressive-minded politicians,
“you need to join your other progressive-minded Nigerians in APC to move the nation forward”.
Duhu said that APC leadership was not only in the Government House to pay the governor Sallah homage, but to extend the hands of fellowship to Nyako and the entire PDP G7 governors who are being maltreated and victimised by the PDP leadership and the presidency.
According to him, the G7 PDP governors and their supporters deserve to be registered as members of the APC because of their position in the affairs of the nation and the ideals that the G7 governors were promoting for Nigeria to be given recognition as one of the most democratic nations of the world.
While describing their presence in the Government House as homecoming, the vice chairman said because Nyako was a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) before he decamped to the
PDP, “this is an indication that the governor still possesses the
progressive spirit in line with the APC ideals, therefore it is a
reunion of all progressive-minded Nigerians from Adamawa extraction,” he said
He lauded the spirit of the seven governors who formed
the New PDP.
Duhu also described the sealing of Adamawa
State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja as a breach on the immunity powers conferred on the governor.
The APC leader said the closure of the state edifice is a
calculated attempt to also discredit the people of Adamawa State.
Duhu, who urged Nigerians to resist the action of the FCT
Minister, also called on the Inspector General of Police to withdraw policemen from the area, as it amounts to a slap on the people of the state.
” PDP wants to legalise impunity. The Governor’s Lodge, which was sealed up, is covered by diplomatic immunity and should not be closed on ground of the flimsy reasons adduced by the Minister of FCT.
” All state governments use their liaison offices for political
meetings. Why should that of Adamawa State be an exception?” he queried.
The APC National Vice
Chairman revealed that Adamawa State is already an APC state with the coming of over 300,000 supporters of the present government to the APC.
“It is only Governor Murtala Nyako and a few others in his
administration who are yet to join the APC, but I am quite optimistic that they will soon join us,” Duhu said.
On the proposed National Conference, Duhu described it as a
mere jamboree that will not bring any positive change to the country’s polity.
” As long as corruption by the ruling PDP government remains endemic, the national conference will be a mirage”.
Duhu commended the G7 governors for evolving new political strategy that will remove the nation from the doldrums.
He also described the visits of the G7 governors to prominent leaders as timely, adding that APC will continue to support the resolve of the G7 to reposition the country.
Responding, Nyako, who lauded the ideals of APC and
its membership, especially in the North-East, said the new era of change should be embraced by all Nigerians because Nigeria is yearning for the desired change.
Although he said, he is not a card-carrying member of APC, he said he admired the APC governors in the South-West, North-West and the North-East which were indications of good products who also impacted on the lives of their people.
He appealed to Nigerians to rise against mediocrity in the polity while mediocre politicians should not be allowed an inroad in the affairs of Nigeria.
