BY JULIET NONYE
Kaduna
No fewer than 350 members of All Progressives Congress (APC), including a councillor were received today, by House of Reps candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Honorable Shehu Bawa ABG.
The defecting grassroots politicians who were hitherto members of APC in Ungwar Dosa Ward of Kaduna North Federal Constituency expressed disaffection with the estranged ruling party over what they described as draconian tendencies in their former political platform.
Councillor of Ungwar Dosa Ward, Hon Haruna Isah Mami who led the delegation of the defecting members decried absence of internal democracy and instruments of consensus in APC which he noted should be hallmarks of any political party in a representative system of government as practised in Nigeria.
Isah, while pledging his loyalty and those of others to NNPP, lambasted APC for her habitual imposition of candidates at the detriment of faithful members, saying the sad development would chase out committed individuals.
“How on Earth should one individual be allowed to dictate the direction of a political party by foisting on everybody his preferred stooges as candidates of our party for various elective positions in the forthcoming 2023 general election.
“All the over 350 people you’re seeing today were members of APC who had done so much for growth and development of the party in U/Dosa Ward but were treated with so much disregard, disrespect and scorn that necessitated our exit from the party.
“We decided to join NNPP because we believe it’s the party for the masses, a party with genuine interest for emancipation of Nigerians from the hardship caused by APC, “he declared.
While presenting membership cards to the now members of NNPP, ABG congratulated the grassroots political mobilizers and their councillors for the choice they made, saying they had moved in the right direction and taken a step forward by dumping a party that did not mean well for the electorate.
“We all thought APC emerged to rescue Nigeria by providing economic and social succor to longtime suffering masses of this country.
“Alas! We made the greatest mistake of our life as everything took a downturn for the worst.
“Rice, which is the mainstay of our edible food is beyond the reach of the poor, price of PMS has risen to crescendo, insecurity compounded by lack of direction and effective leadership at the centre, the naira has been on a free fall since the inception of this administration.
“We can’t continue in this cluelessness for posterity sake and the future of our kids.
“I therefore urge us to sell this our party, the NNPP, which is the awaited messiah of Nigeria to the electorate as we march towards 2023 in our determination to chart a new and better country for all, “he appealed.
Also speaking in the same vein, NNPP Candidate of Kawo Constituency in Kaduna State House of Assembly, Aliyu Haruna popularly known as Chakis added that,” failure of APC to fulfill her promises to Nigerian voters should be an albatross that the party be made to bear forever by ensuring it loses all elective positions in February and March political franchises so that a strong message will be sent to those who think they can deceive us, “he urged.
