APC Leaders Visit Three PDP Northern Governors

The All Progressives Congress (APC) raised the stakes yesterday in its bid for power at the centre in 2015.

Leaders of the opposition party visited three state capitals in the North yesterday – to woo over to the APC the aggrieved governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is struggling to survive a big internal crisis.

APC Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande led a strong team of party leaders, including Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors, senators and others to Kano, Dutse and Yola.

They wooed Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako.

They were in Sokoto on Tuesday to attend the inauguration of Sokoto State University. They also met with Governor Aliyu Wamakko.

The four are among the seven PDP governors locked in a fierce battle with the leadership of the party.

They left the party’s last mini-convention to form a parallel executive under Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Also on the entourage were Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former Speaker Aminu Bello Masari, Senator George Akume, Alhaji Abdullahi Gwarzo, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, Alhaji Kashim Imam, Senator Annie Okonkwo, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and governors- Babatunde Fashola (Lagos State),Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).

The APC leaders met with Kwakwanso at the Governor’s Office, Kano, before departing for Dutse.

But the PDP, expectedly, frowned at the meetings, abusing the APC.”

Its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, wondered in a statement why the APC leaders were wooing the governors of the PDP they had castigated in the past.

Warning the PDP governors against dumping the ruling party, he said: “Joining the APC is to join in promoting divisions in Nigeria.”

Speaking in Kano, Akande, who lamented the persecution of the seven governors, said they were being intimidated for their commitment to a worthy cause.

He said: “We decided to come to you to solidarise with you because we know you are of great mind; and that is why some of you are being persecuted in your political party.Wherever small minds are in power, great minds are persecuted. So in recognition of this, in this wisdom, the leaders of the APC decided to come and lure you to join the progressive party.”

The APC chairman added: “We are proud to showcase our own party, the APC, as a platform and a soft ground for great minds like you; and for that reason, we decided to come and let you know that we have plenty rooms in APC for great minds.Our coming to Kano has shown us the tremendous transformation that has taken place in Kano metropolis.

“These are the types of things we want governors of APC to be able to do just like the ones in Lagos, Edo, Osun, Ekiti and everywhere and when we see this development in Kano, we are always proud of you. On behalf of my party, the APC, Mr. Governor, we are here as campaigners in politics, which is not about individuals. It is about the unity and progress of Nigeria. We invite you to look favourably to our party.”

Gen. Buhari said the APC leaders were in Kano to woo Kwakwanso, saying that the mission is justifiable. He said: “We are in Kano to lure you into APC and I am also here with my colleagues, and the governors from other states, to convince you firstly, that we feel very uncomfortable about Kano not coming along with us.

“We are here on a tough and ruthless recruitment drive; we are a people-oriented party and our concern is about our people and Nigeria. What APC is fundamentally going to do is to secure and effectively manage this country when we secure power.”

Buhari hailed Kwankwaso for his courage, alertness and determination to succeed, noting that he bounced back to power after he was ousted in a general election.

He said: “Not so many people get the opportunity to correct whatever mistake they think they have made. You were a governor. We voted you out. You quietly went to the Ministry of Defence, and came back and got elected. So, you are a very lucky person. It is not the red cap that gave you the victory; it is the stars. So, in our bid to get Kano back, we enjoin the governor to join us to deliver this country; and by the mercy of God, we shall succeed.”

Okorocha, who spoke on behalf of the APC governors, predicted that in 2015, “victory has been signed and sealed for the APC”.

He said: “ We have come to invite you, our brother, into this movement. APC is not a political party per se; it is a movement; a movement of change. We are people, carefully, selected by God. We’ll assure you as our colleagues that governors in APC are accorded their due respect. I want to assure you that you are coming to a place you rightfully belong.”

Kwankwaso was surprised that the APC leadership could send such a powerful delegation to invite him into the party. He said: “We have listened to you very attentively; we have heard what you said and I feel elated that people of these calibre sat down and decided to visit us for this purpose; this shows that we are important.

“Immediately you leave this place, I will sit down with the stakeholders because this party belongs to all of us. The Kwankwasiyya Movement is not a one-man show. No member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement does it alone. We are working as a team and this team is strong and capable enough to win elections in 2015. By the grace of God, our group will continue to grow from strength to strength.

“If you are expecting me to say yes or no to your offer now, you will not get it because we have to sit down as one family and weigh the challenges; and at the end of the day, we will communicate you through General Buhari.”

Tinubu told reporters after the meeting that the visit was successful. He allayed the fear that the absence of former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau meant that all was not well with APC in Kano. He said: “I am not sure that he is available for this meeting, but there is no problem.”

In Dutse, Akande told Lamido to “please come and join the race because you are not where you belong to”.

He added: “Leave the PDP and join the APC where you will have better opportunity to achieve your aims.”

The APC leaders’ visit, Akande said, is not for you as Lamido or four our personal benefit rather for the rescue of the people and the country.”

Tinubu described Lamido as one of those reliable individuals the APC can work with because of his courage and frankness.

“I don’t know how we found you under the heated umbrella and now that the umbrella is tearing, it is time for you to return to where you belong.

“We are here to reconnect with our brother, a long-time friend and political associate with the same mission and objectives. Come and join a team and rescue the country from abuse of power, insincerity and negatives attached to the present administration”.

Lamido described the visit as a family reunion because they were together years back in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and committed to working for the general public.

The governor said “PDP is sick, this journey is a difficult one and will generate lots of issues”. He added: “This is the beginning of the process and I’m ready to move with anyone concerned with the progress and betterment of the common man and country.

He said: “I believe in Nigeria and I’m enthusiastic about the fact that Gen. Buhari of all people came personally to woo me to APC”

Lamido said what is worrisome to him is that Nigerians don’t have that trust and confidence in their leaders any longer. He added that it would not “be out of place if someone will join hands with like minds to restore the lost glory of the nation.”