The leadership of the All Progressives Congress has finally reacted to the defection of its members to the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday at the National Assembly, Abuja.
VH News reported that 15 senators and 36 members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), with the majority joining the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Few hours later, the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who reacted to the development, has said that he is happy that some members of the Senate and House of Representatives left his party for opposition parties.
While speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, said those who left are “mercenaries” who were in APC just to win election, adding that the governing party is “not disturbed at all” or losing sleep over the defections.
He said, “I insist that I will not miss a sleep one minute over mechinary activities. I have said and I want to repeat, this business of governance must be driven by men and women of honour.
“If the only motivation is personal interest, what is the need for me, what have I gained, if that is the basis, the earlier for those in this business for personal gain return to where they belong, the better.
“The party that I am privileged to chair is not worried at all, we are not disturbed, I am not going to miss my sleep.
“Go to the campaign, check the electoral results you will find that a lot of those who claimed to have decamped on a good day, the votes they got that made them members of the senate, our President got much more votes in their constituencies. So, we are not fooled at all.
“The thing going on is that we have a lot of so-called big masquerades with very little or no electoral value."
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress has released an official statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on the National Assembly defections.
Read in full below;
"The All Progressives Congress (APC) notes the development in the National Assembly with the defection of some of our members from the Party.
"In the last couple of weeks our Party leaders have worked to stave off this situation as responsible Party leaders would do. It would appear however that the individuals involved have different considerations beyond the grievances that they were willing to discuss and which our leaders were willing to address.
"As a truly democratic party, we respect the right of every citizen to political association. Therefore, we urge our members to remain calm as we continue to work hard to position our party strongly for the next general elections. APC remains in firm control of 25 states of the 36 states of the federation and maintains a clear majority in the federal House of Representatives and state assemblies.
"We assure members and supporters that our great Party will continue to consolidate on our majority status in the leadup to the 2019 General Elections, even as our government continue to work hard to deliver on our promises to Nigerians."
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