President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), took firm control of inherited structures in Delta State with an official ceremony yesterday, following the defections of government officials and other officials last week.
President Tinubu, who has granted the defectors a waiver, said they are not tenants in the party.
Nigerian politics witnessed a watershed moment as Vice President Kashim Shettima formally welcomed Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori of Delta State, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and their supporters into the All Progressives Congress (APC) fold.
He told the new members who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC that they are now co-owners of the governing party, and not guests, just as he described the occasion as a “testimony to the enduring promise” of the APC.
VP Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event held in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, stressed the need for unity and collaboration, emphasising that the new members were joining as equals in the ruling party.
“You are not guests in this house; you are now co-owners. This is now as much your party as ours,” VP Shettima said, describing the new APC entrants as giants in Nigerian politics.
The vice president highlighted the significance of their decision to join the APC, saying, “The true measure of a political party lies not merely in the enthusiasm of its members, but in the conviction it inspires among those who once stood across from them.”
Welcoming the new members into the party fold, Senator Shettima noted that they were joining the party “not as defectors but as brothers and sisters who have found their rightful place among” the APC faithful, even as he maintained that they were joining the governing party not as guests but as family and “as fellow architects of a better Nigeria.”
The vice president explained the APC’s philosophy of governance and party politics, pointing out that “what sets the APC apart is not an illusion of uniformity; it is our acceptance that differences are inevitable and that greatness lies in managing them.
“Our tables have always been tables of dialogue, places where every member, no matter how great or small, is welcomed to air their grievances, challenge our direction, and shape our future,” he added.
Shettima also reflected on the party’s journey right from inception. “Since its formation in 2013, the APC has been the dream and the drama of Nigerian democracy. So many predictions have been written about us as though we were an experiment doomed to fail,” he said.
He credited the party’s longevity to its collaborative approach, observing that “dialogue, not dictation, has been our shield against disintegration.” He said the party could not have survived this long without listening to one another.
“Today is not merely a day of receiving new members. This is a declaration that the spirit of our great nation is alive — a spirit that dreams beyond personal ambition, beyond party lines, and sees the larger arc of history. Nigeria is greater than all of us, and what we do here today is a step towards strengthening her promise,” the vice president stated.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said it was a historic day, even as he described the Delta State Governor’s defection as a political legacy.
Ganduje thanked President Bola Tinubu for providing exemplary leadership that has attracted more credible persons into the APC fold.
“The National Working Committee of our party is happy with this decision of the governor, and we are impressed with the cordial relationship existing between the governor and his predecessor, Dr Okowa,” he said.
Formally accepting the Delta State governor into the APC, Ganduje handed over the party’s flag and a broom, the main symbol of the APC, to Oborevwori.
The National Chairman thanked Vice President Kashim Shettima and all APC Governors who attended the occasion, informing them that more eminent Nigerians are on their way to the APC.
For his part, Hope Uzodinma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, said it is a special day for APC because of the Delta State governor’s wealth of experience.
He said the ideology of the APC protects national interest and improves the lives of Nigerians.
“We are joyful and hopeful. Our party, the APC, protects national interest and expands the hope horizon,” Governor Uzodinma said, while commending the developmental strides of the Delta State Governor, saying they are progressive.
He continued: “Today, when I was driving into Asaba this afternoon, I saw development, I saw the governor’s performance, I saw infrastructure. The state looks like an APC state.
“So, I’m not surprised that the governor, in his wisdom, decided to join our great party because what we are known for is what he is already doing in Delta State”.
Speaking on behalf of the new APC entrants, Governor Oborevwori insisted that what happened in Delta State was a movement, not defection, explaining that all state stakeholders were part of the decision to move to the governing APC.
The governor, who said Delta State could no longer be in the opposition, thus the change of gears, added that the state decided to reciprocate President Tinubu’s love for the state and has done a lot for it.
“All our members in the National Assembly have agreed that when plenary resumes, they will defect on the floor of the two chambers of the Assembly.
“All our party’s state and ward executives and representatives at all levels will move. We want to be in the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is in line with my agenda,” Oborevwori said, assuring that there will be no faction in the Delta State APC.
Also, former Governor of the state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, said the people of the state decided to change their path for the common good of the citizens.
“This decision is in the best interest of the state. We need to connect to the centre to gain more democratic dividends. It is in the best interest of the state and the people. We need to embrace each other with the oneness of heart. I believe a great result will come forth from this decision,” Okowa assured.
He pledged support for President Bola Tinubu and his successor, Governor Oborevwori.
The state governors in attendance were those of Kwara, AbdulRahman-AbdulRazaq; Gombe, Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya; Yobe, Mai Mala Buni; Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Benue, Hyacinth Alia; and Nasarawa, Engr. Abdullahi Sule; Sokoto, Ahmed Aliyu; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun, Cross River, Bassey Otu; Borno, Babagana Zulum; Kaduna, Uba Sani; Ekiti, Biodun Oyebanji; Kogi, Usman Ododo, and Ebonyi, Francis Nwifuru.
Other dignitaries included Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives; Senator Adams Oshiomole; Mr. Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Regional Development; Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development; Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning; and former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, among many others.
Defections exaggerated, won’t deter coalition – El-Rufai
The former Kaduna state governor, Nasiru Elrufai, has described the recent defection of high-profile politicians to the APC as exaggerated.
El-Rufai said such defections would not affect the coalition or his efforts to find a solution to Nigeria’s current situation.
He stated this while addressing newsmen in Kano on Monday, where he visited.
El-Rufai explained that he was the first to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which sought solutions to Nigeria’s problems by eliminating Godfatherism in politics.
“The SDP is concerned with finding solutions to Nigeria’s problems and giving opportunities to those that the Godfather type of party politics has sidelined and excluded.
“We want to give all Nigerians interested in leadership and politics equal opportunity to show that they can do better than what we have. Clearly, what we have is not good enough. Every Nigerian agrees that what we have now is not good enough.
According to El-Rufai, many talented Nigerians don’t want to consider going into politics or public service because they think they need a godfather or a lot of money.
“We want to remove all these things and unleash the competitive energy of Nigerians to be their best in politics and public service.
“This is our goal. The defection of high-profile politicians is not the issue. Who can solve the problem of Nigerians and communicate it to them so that on election day, they will be motivated to come out and vote for that person?
“These high-level defections are widely exaggerated. It’s good for headlines and to sell your media, but on the ground, politically, if you don’t have the people, you can have as high a profile as possible, you are nothing,” he stated.
El-Rufai stated earlier that he was in Kano for two reasons: to apologise in advance to Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II for his inability to attend an upcoming Emirate event and to meet with the SDP members.
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