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LAGOS – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that those governors defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are doing so because they lack popularity in their various states and are looking for an easy way out by joining the ruling party.
Bolaji Abdullahi, Spokesperson of the ADC, had in an interview with Daily Independent noted that the coalition party is not worried about the movement since it’s an insignificant number of Nigerians that are card carrying members of political parties.
According to him, Nigerians will decide when the time comes, stressing that poor performance of the ruling party will compel Nigerians to reject it at the polls.
He said, “What percentage of Nigerians belong to any political party? Maybe less than 1%. Now, I mean card carrying members of political parties. So, for us, governors defecting to APC is meaningless. It’s like saying that because a governor defected to a ruling party, then that means that state is already won by the ruling party.
“Many of these governors are unpopular in their own state. Many of them have failed their own people. They’ve collected more money in the last two years than any governor in the history of the states have collected. How has that impacted on the lives and livelihood of the people? So, they’re the same, and the reason they’re actually joining the ruling party is to protect themselves. They know they’re unpopular. They know they’re unpopular with their people. So, they need to protect themselves, and that’s why they’re moving to the ruling party.
“For us, we’re not bothered at all because we know the people understand what is going on, the people are with us. So, a governor joining the ruling party doesn’t mean that the whole of the people in that state have now joined that party. So, let all of them join the ruling party, where we know that it’s a two-horse race between the people of Nigeria and the ruling party.”
Speaking further, he said, “Whether its governors or lawmakers or whoever, are they going to deny the reality that their people are living in? Are they going to tell the people that they’re not hungry? That government solved their problems? Are they able to tell the people that life is better for them today than it was three years ago? So if they’re joining the ruling party, they know why they’re doing so. And it’s not about their people. It’s not to protect the interest of their people. It’s to protect their selfish interest. And the people can see it. We’re not worried about this movement. When the time comes, we’ll see what will happen.”
