Disquiet In Niger APC Over Malagi’s Defection Rumour

The rumoured defection of the publisher of Blueprint Newspapers Mohammed Idris Malagi from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has caused disquiet in the party.

Malagi participated in the last governorship primaries of the party in the state and came second to the winner Umar Mohammed Bago. In recent weeks, he has received and visited some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains in the state.

On Monday evening, the picture of his meeting with Alhaji Isa Liman Kantigi surfaced on social media suggesting that Malagi might have concluded plans to dump APC.
The state secretary of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Khalid dispelled the rumour and disclosed that a 10-man reconciliatory committee has been constituted headed by a one-time minister of state for solid minerals and a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa Bwari with Mr Ibrahim Manko as secretary.

Khalid said the governorship candidate, Alhaji Umar Mohammed Bago and the chairman of the party, Alhaji Zakari Jikantoro have individually been meeting aggrieved aspirants that lost out in the primary elections with a view to make them accept the situation as an “Act of God” pointing out that their efforts have also yielded fruitful results.
He dismissed as ‘mere rumour’ the claim that one of the governorship aspirants, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi has completed plans to defect to the PDP saying the rumour is without any foundation.