PDP chieftain hails lawmakers’ defection, says it’s good omen for opposition

The National Vice-Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, South-South, Mr. Emmanuel Ogidi, said the Tuesday defection by some lawmakers to PDP was a good omen for the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Fifteen Senators and 32 House of Representatives members defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the PDP.

Four other members of the party, also in the lower chamber, announced their defection to the African Democratic Congress, while one member renounced membership of the APC but did not state his next move.

Ogidi said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that the action of the lawmakers was in the interest of Nigeria, arguing that it would help to save the country’s democracy.

“The lawmakers defected from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP because they want good for the country and to save her democracy.

“They could no longer sit to watch the way things are going in this country, and that is why they are back in the PDP to join forces in the mission to rescue the nation. We are happy with that.

“This is a good signal for 2019 general elections and it also means that the PDP has been doing the right thing.

“Since we lost power at the federal level in 2015, we have not acted like opposition party but as a government-in-waiting.

“In spite of all the harassment and intimidation, we have never taken the laws into our hands; we keep doing the right thing and now you can see that it has paid off.”

Ogidi also attributed the defection of the lawmakers to the re-branding and re-positioning efforts going on in the PDP.

“People now see that PDP is real and is ready to give everybody the opportunity to aspire on his political ambition as we move on.”

He assured the defecting lawmakers that PDP would respect its promise of accommodating them in the party.

The national vice chairman also condemned Tuesday morning’s security siege on the Abuja residences of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, describing it as “a threat to the country’s democracy.”

He said it was part of the “desperation of the ruling party” to retain power, adding that such actions would not work in today’s democracy in Nigeria.

“This is a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and it is very unfortunate.

“They accused PDP of using impunity and power, but what are they doing? Is this part of the change that they promised us?”

He called on Nigerians and democracy lovers to condemn the act, saying that it was not a good precedent for democracy in the country.