BARELY hours after reaffirming his membership, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has resigned his position as well as his membership of the party.
Abdullahi made this known in a statement on Wednesday, saying he can no longer remain in a party where his loyalty is constantly being questioned and his responsibilities as spokesperson being usurped.
“In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards,” Abdullahi wrote.
“I have served the APC honestly and to the best of my ability and when I stood for and won my election at the last convention, it was a keen desire to continue to do so.
“However, in a situation whereby my loyalty is constantly brought into question; my subordinates deployed to subvert my office; and my views constantly second-guessed on the basis of my political affiliation, it has become imperative for me to review my position.
“In view of recent political developments in the country and within the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have decided to resign my position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today.”
After Senate President, Bukola Saraki, announced his defection from the APC to the PDP on Tuesday, there were reports that Abdullahi had also decamped. But he denied the reports saying there was “no iota of truth” in them.
“I want to put it on record that I came through the front door and if I want to leave, I will leave through the front door,” he said. But not many were fooled by the denials, especially given that the PDP had already sent out a tweet welcoming Abdullahi back home.
ALL KWARA ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BUT ONE ALSO DEFECT
Similarly, the Speaker and all the members of the Kwara State House of Assembly but one, have also decamped from APC to the PDP.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Wednesday, Speaker of the Assembly, Ali Ahmad, said they were defecting because the APC has become “factionalised”.
“All the honourable members — except one — have finally changed party to the PDP. This is permitted by the Proviso to Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ahmad said.
“Today, as I and other members of the Kwara State Assembly dump the APC for good, I heaved a sigh of relief.
“In 2014, I was terribly sad leaving PDP reluctantly with 36 other members of the House of Representatives.
“Today, I am the happiest leaving the APC for good. I wish I was never a member of the party.”
GBEMISOLA, SARAKI’S SISTER PLEDGES LOYALTY TO BUHARI
Meanwhile, despite the gale of defections in Kwara State, Gemisola Saraki, sister to the Senate President Bukola Saraki, has pledged unwavering support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC.
The female Saraki made this known through a post on her wall on Facebook.
“I maintain my unwavering support for President Muhammadu Buhari, now and for his re-election in 2019, and for the success of our party, the APC, in Kwara State and across the federation,” Gbemi wrote.
“Politics is a public service to the people and we ought to conduct it with dignity, peace and love for our fellow citizens.
The two Sarakis (Bukola and Gbemi) have always been in opposing camps since 2011 when Bukola thwarted Gbemi’s attempts to succeed him as Governor of Kwara State.
Gbemisola had served in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, and in the Senate from 2003 to 2011, and wanted to take over from his brother as Governor, but Bukola had other plans and “anointed” Abdulfatah Ahmed as his successor.