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No Automatic Tickets For Defectors, Says Oshiomhole

  Advertisement The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has advised the lawmakers who defected from the party not to be … Continue reading No Automatic Tickets For Defectors, Says Oshiomhole


No Automatic Tickets For Defectors, Says Oshiomhole

No Automatic Tickets For Defectors, Says Oshiomhole

 

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has advised the lawmakers who defected from the party not to be deceived by promises of automatic tickets.

Addressing reporters on Thursday in Abuja, Oshiomhole said there would be no automatic tickets for those defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While he described such promise as ‘a mirage’, he noted that the APC does not need politicians of convenience but members with a shared ideology.

The APC National Chairman, however, said the doors of the ruling party were open to defectors to return, but he stressed that they would not be lured with gifts such as dollars or automatic tickets.

He spoke to journalists after meeting with the APC caucus in the House of Representatives led by the Majority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the party’s secretariat in the nation’s capital.

Gbajabiamila said that the draining of the swamp had taken place earlier while the consolidation of the remaining loyal members would continue.

The meeting was convened two days after 37 members of the House and 14 members of the Senate dumped the APC.

Members of the House who left the party include Danburam Nuhu, Mark Gbilah, Razak Atunwa, Ahmed Bichi, Abdulsamad Dasuk, Zakari Mohammed, Sani Rano, Barry Mpigi, Ali Madaki, Dickson Tackighir, and Hassan Saleh.

In the Senate, senators Dino Melaye (Kogi), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Abdulazeez Nyako (Adamawa), Barnabas Gemade (Benue), Ibrahim Dambaba, Shaaba Lafiaji (Kwara) and Rafia Ibrahim (Kwara) were among those who defected.

President Muhammadu Buhari consequently met with the APC senators led by the Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan.

After the meeting, Senator Lawan told State House correspondents that the lawmakers who defected would return to the party before the 2019 elections.

He noted that despite the defection suffered by the ruling party, the APC retained its majority status in the Senate with 53 seats.