The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kwara State has dismissed claims that thousands of its members have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the State.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdurazaq had at an event on Democracy Day, claimed to have received no fewer than 3500 members of the PDP to the fold of the APC.
But in a statement on Sunday by its State Publicity Secretary, Tunde Ashaolu, the PDP described the Governor’s claim as false and misleading, adding that the theatrical show that took place at Banquet Hall on Saturday was a dimwitted attempt at face-saving by Governor Abdulrazaq.
The PDP said “the Governor was mocked by members of his party for staging what they described as a scam and macabre dance, and cautioned him to stop embarrassing the party. The APC members also accused Abdulrazaq of bastardising the image of the party with his divisiveness, corrupt, insensitive actions and lackluster performance across board.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no members of our party moved to the shrinking APC on Saturday except the suspended local government chairmen and councilors who had since early last year, publicly announced their defection to the APC after being threatened with EFCC prosecution by Governor Abdulrazaq.
“Rather than lying that thousands of PDP members across the 193 wards of Kwara moved to their crisis-laden and rudderless party, we challenge Governor Abdulrazaq and his unintelligent scriptwriters to mention any prominent member of Kwara PDP who defected to the APC on Saturday aside the former local government chairmen and councilors who were suspended from office on allegation of financial misappropriation.
“The shameless defection show organised by Abdulrazaq and his minions has shown that the governor is worried by the positive outcomes of the ongoing reconciliation move within the Kwara PDP which has seen aggrieved members pledging their loyalty to the party and members of the APC in several local government areas of the State moving to the PDP. It has also got to show that the Governor is desperate to do anything to redeem his already battered image and goodwill.
“The Kwara PDP therefore urges members of the public to discountenance Governor Abdulrazaq’s claims that thousands of PDP members have defected to the APC. We equally advise the Governor to address issues that will attract development to the State instead of engaging in cheap propaganda and lies.”
