*As Buhari, Tinubu, 4 APC govs storm Yola

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH & HENRY UMORU

The protracted disagreement between the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, may see the latter moving over to the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, today.

The APC had on October 16, 2013, indicated interest in welcoming Nyako into its fold when the North East National Vice Chairman, Umar Duhu, visited the governor in Yola, the state capital.

The governor, on his own, did not mince words about his love and admiration for the APC, when he described its governors and programmes in glowing terms and praised the leadership of the party for its dynamism.

At the ceremony in his office, the APC said that they had the approval of the APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, to formally invite him to the party with the presentation of the traditional kolanut, which the governor gladly accepted.

Apparently to concretise his triumphant entry into the APC, a strong Presidential APC team led by former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, is visiting Yola, the Adamawa State capital to meet with Nyako and other top officials of the administration.

Other members of the team likely to receice Nyako into the APC’s fold are Governors of Lagos, Ekiti, Imo and their Borno counterpart.

Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modi Sheriff and the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, are also expected on the APC train to Yola, where an important statement about the political future of the governor and his supporters is likely to be made.

Although there is an unconfirmed report that the seven aggrieved governors of the APC and other key members are planning to defect to the APC, it is still not clear whether they will change their minds and pitch tent with the ruling party.

One of the G7 governors, Babangida Aliyu, of Niger State, who was reported to have dumped the other six governors, denied ever changing his mind, claiming that as the leader of the group, he could not have deserted them in the middle of their political negotiations.

Gov. Nyako

Vanguard learnt that it might be a matter of time for the ‘rebel’ governors to defect to the APC or any other opposition party ahead of the 2015 polls.

The seeming division among the G7 is when they should leave the PDP and to which party they should go so as to remain politically relevant after 2015.

While many have opted for the APC, others are rooting for the formation of a brand new party to be able to galvanise their collective interest as equals.

A top source close to Nyako confirmed to Vanguard last night that the governor was likely to agree to join the APC during the visit of the party big wigs to Yola.

In a related development, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo yesterday admitted that the November 16 Anambra State Governorship election will be a strong battle for the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Vice President said, “ I want to remind you that we have a strong battle and we will win this battle by God’s grace. I seize this opportunity to urge all members of PDP to come back and let us join hands in the interest of our party to deliver Anambra State.”

“All members that are aggrieved, in a family, there will always be a certain quarrel, but there will be a point where we will all come together.

“Please I am seizing this opportunity to invite all of us to come back and join hand together and if we do that, I have no doubt that with the caliber of people in Anambra state, we will win that election.

Meanwhile, PDP national Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur while inaugurating the Namadi Sambo led 66- member National Campaign Committee for Anambra State urged the Vice President to go and win the election for PDP, even as he told the People of Anambra State to vote the message and not the messenger, adding that there was no provision for independent candidate in Nigeria which explains why the party was sponsoring a candidate.

But the inauguration was shunned by Senate President David Mark, Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; all the PDP Governors from South East; Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta; Jonah Jang of Plateau; and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina.

Also as members who were absent at the inauguration ceremony which took place at the National Executive Committee, NEC meeting hall, Wadata Plaza, national Secretariat of the party, were all the ministers from South East; only Senators Hope Uzodinma and Margery Okadigbo of all the Senators from South East attended, just as former governors Sam Egwu and Ikedi Ohakim were also absent. Also absent were Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadhome; Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Arthur Eze; senator Ken Nnamani, Chief Chris Uba, among others.