Yakubu Dogara has returned to the All Progressive Congress APC dumping the People Democratic Party PDP that help him secure his re-election bid to the House of Representatives.
The Former Speaker of the house of Representatives also visited the Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari to officially rejoin the APC.
Mai Mala Buni, chairman of the caretaker committee of the party, broke the news to state house correspondents after he and Dogara met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja on Friday.
“We paid a courtesy call on the president in continuation of our effort to rebuild the party. We are here to see Mr. President and brief him on the development,” Buni said.
Asked why Dogara accompanied him, he said: “The former speaker is a member of the APC… he is back because the reason he left the APC is no more there.
“He (Buhari) welcomed him (Dogara). He’s happy with the development. That’s what he’s looking for. We are rebuilding the party and these are the steps we are taking towards rebuilding the party.”
uni said efforts are in place to reach out to other aggrieved members of the party, adding that the APC is being rebranded to “outlive us”.
“We will do justice to all our members and that’s what will bring peace and that is why will guarantee peaceful coexistence, that is what will bring the consolidation of the party, the rebuilding of the party. Without doing justice, you cannot achieve that and we are sure of doing justice to all our members,” he said.
“We are rebuilding the party to outlive all of us. It’s not only about specific time or period, its not about election, its not about electioneering. It is about building a party.”
Dogara had left the APC after he fell out with Mohammed Abubakar, former governor of Bauchi state, who lost his reelection.
But Dogara, who represents Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency, was reelected into the house of representatives on the platform of the PDP.
He led the screening committee of the PDP for the Ondo governorship election.
Mass defections to hit PDP – APC on Buhari, Dogara
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the call by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign.
Yekini Nabena, APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, on Friday, said PDP had been ranting over “impending mass defections set to hit the failed opposition party.”
His statement coincided with the defection of former House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Nabena said: “The PDP calls for the resignation of the President. How silly! Nobody expects the PDP to provide ideas on good governance going by their inglorious past and antecedents. We only reiterate that the PDP stays quiet while the President Muhammadu Buhari administration clears the rot they foisted on the country.
“Nigeria deserves a vibrant, purposeful and credible opposition, not the laughing stock we have been subjected to in the name of the opposition PDP. It is well within the rights of PDP members to abandon a rudderless and sinking ship for the progressive fold. Going by the popular axiom: Why fly like a hen when you can soar like an eagle?
“We are particularly gladdened by the return of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara to the APC. As we work collectively to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams, we will no doubt encounter challenges along the way.
“But one thing is sure. Under the focused and sincere leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, we are already delivering on key electoral promises of securing the nation, fighting corruption and improving the economy and livelihoods.”
