Ex-governor Dakingari was misled into joining APC – PDP

The Kebbi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the defection of the former Governor of the state, Sa’idu Dakingari and some top members of the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as undemocratic.

Recall that Dakingari, and his deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, last Friday defected to the APC from the PDP.

But in an interview with DAILY TRUST, the Publicity Secretary of the Party in the state, Ibrahim Umar Ummai, said the PDP believed that the Dakingari and his followers were misled into taking that decision judging by their reasons.

“They said they are joining APC because of the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Bagudu but what did the Governor do to the people of the state in the last two years, virtually nothing,” he said.

According to Ummai, Governor Bagudu only succeeded in killing some of the projects started by his predecessor, citing the State Polytechnic in Dakingari, the State civil service secretariate and some road projects which he said were abandoned by the present administration.

“So for them to now based their defection on the purported achievements of Governor Bagudu is uncalled for, undemocratic and laughable,” he added.

He said they would not call the decampees names because they would soon realise their mistake and make a u-turn back to their root.

However, in a swift reaction to the allegations by the PDP, the spokesman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Sani Dododo said PDP could not dictate to the former Governor and his supporters on what to or not fo do as they are matured enough to decide their political journey.

He averred that there was nothing undemocratic in their defection because PDP in the state was dead, buried and would never resurrect.

“They joined APC out of their own wish and conviction that Kebbi state is working under the able leadership of Governor Atiku Bagudu. The state is now peaceful with gigantic projects and agricultural activities taking place across its nooks and crannies,” he said.

He added that the present government has been fulfilling its promises to the electorates by investing heavily in infrastructure, education, health and also pay salaries of workers as at when due despite the current economic challenges in the country.

Dododo who spoke to our reporter on phone, assured the defectors that they would be treated like any other member of the party without any form of discrimination.

It would be recalled that the former deputy Governor of the state, Ibrahim Aliyu said they dumped their former party in order to move Kebbi state forward.

“This nation needs peace, this state needs peace and development, we came to APC to unite our people under one fold and that fold is APC,” he said.