Several supporters of former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Saturday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join their leader in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Speaker last month defected to the ruling APC, which he left in November, 2018.
Dogara’s return to APC was announced by Governor Mai Mala Bunu of Yobe State, who is the Chairman, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Committee, after a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
While receiving the defectors today in Bogoro, the headquarters of Bogoro LGA, APC Chairman in Bogoro LGA, Haruna Rikaya, said the new members of the party were formerly PDP and faithful supporters of Dogara.
According to Rikaya, the Dogara’s supporters are always ready to follow him anywhere he is headed.
The APC chairman said that Dogara had genuine reasons to return to APC.
Rikaya said in view of his genuine reasons, the only option left for Dogara to salvage his political future is to leave the PDP and return to APC where he rightly belongs.
He, however, assured all the defectors that they will be treated equally with those they met on ground, saying that unity of purpose is important.
On his part, leader of the defectors, Bulus Iliya, said that their decision to return to the APC was informed by the need to unite with Dogara, who he described as their political godfather.
According to Iliya, “In Nigeria politics, loyalty pays, therefore as a political student of Yakubu Dogara, I will remain loyal to him.”
He disclosed that while in the PDP the Yakubu Dogara-led caucus was treated with disdain without attention and recognition.
“We have therefore decided to retrace our steps and come back home,” he declared.
He then called on the Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, to be just and fair in the conduct of the forthcoming local government elections in the state.
Iliya stated that the governor got fair and just treatment in the 2019 gubernatorial election and as such should reciprocate same in the local government elections.
“He (Governor Mohammed) got fair and just treatment in 2019 when he won the gubernatorial election. He should ensure that whoever wins the elections should be declared no matter which political party (they belong,” Iliya said.
He then declared his intention to contest the local government election under the APC in Bogoro LGA and called for support from the people of the area.
He told the people that, “we are back home now and never to go out again whether we win or lose election, that is politics.”
