After a protracted battle with the ruling party, speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has finally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek re-election on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Dogara, New Telegraph gathered reliably from his close associates that he secretly bought the PDP’s intent and nomination forms yesterday.
This is coming less than 48 hours after the speaker announced his decision to accede to the calls from his constituents to seek a re-election in the 2019 general elections.
A very close ally of Dogara in the House confirmed to our correspondent that the speaker has left the APC and has picked the PDP nomination form to seek re-election.
“Although, the speaker has not made it public, I can confirm to you that he has left the APC. And I also want to tell you that as we speak, he bought the PDP nomination form today (Wednesday),” the source said.
Asked to clarify whether the speaker bought the form himself or some other groups, the lawmaker said: “All I can tell you is that Speaker Yakubu Dogara is now a confirmed PDP member and has got the form to re-contest the 2019 elections.”
Meanwhile, an interest group in the House loyal to the speaker, the Parliamentary Democrats Group (PDG) has welcomed Dogara back to the PDP saying he has made a wise and timely decision to dump the APC.
In a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Hon. Timothy Golu (PDP, Plateau), the PDG said: “We warmly welcome our brother and leader back into the PDP fold. We have have always said it that Hon. Yakubu Dogara is a true progressive and cannot function with the pretentious APC.
“We have heard that he obtained his nomination form this evening (Wednesday) and we will accompany him enmasse to submit the form.
“The PDG is very much aware of the pressure from Dogara’s constituents asking him to leave the APC and embrace the PDP. The constituents have complained severally of neglect by the APC-led federal and state governments. In fact, every single project in the constituency was influenced by Dogara alone.”
Continuing, Golu said: “We are not unaware of the plots by the APC to destroy the flourishing political career of Hon. Yakubu Dogara in the last three years. But he has weathered the storms and this is the high point of the evil plans of the APC against the speaker.”
It will be recalled that Speaker Dogara had on Tuesday accepted to seek re-election in line with the calls from his constituents and declared that he was overwhelmed by the show of solidarity from his supporters, noting that because of their “sacrifice”, he will once again represent them.
Dogara, while addressing his supporters in his Abuja residence said: “I am shocked and surprised because I never thought or imagined that when I woke up today, I will see this mammoth crowd in my house.
“I am seeing faces of people we started this journey with since 2007. I pray God rewards you for this sacrifice. I was almost tired, having doing the same thing for almost 12 years now.”
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