10,000 APC members dump party for PDP in Bauchi as Speaker Dogara, Kaura kick against plan to manipulate votes

No fewer than 10,000 members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Bauchi state have defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) citing lack of purposeful leadership qualities and non-performance in the state as their reasons for the defection. The PDP Chairman, Bauchi state Chapter, Alhaji Hamza Akuyam who received the decampees on Saturday at the PDP flag-off campaign in Bununu, the Headquarters of Tafawa Balewa local government area berated Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar for not working for the people of Bauchi State. He called on those still supporting the APC to understand the lapses in the party and defect to PDP to foster progress and development in not only Bauchi State but the country at large. He said that the PDP will not accept the planned relocation of collation centre from Zwall to Dass local government area of Bauchi State at this point in time as according to him, the move was illegal. Akuyam who said that those against Speaker Dogara are enemies of the progress of not only Bauchi State but Nigeria as a whole ‎added that, ” because they see him working for his people, the people of Dass Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas that is why they don’t want him in that position, but let them know that the people of his constituency are hundred percent behind him and are poised to return him elected. He further said, “if these people come to solicit for your votes simply ask them what have you done to warrant our votes? ‎In his speech, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara accused some members of the state assemblies of conniving with their governors by ensuring that Local Government autonomy was made impossible. He said that when he became the speaker of the National Assembly, he pushed hard for local governments to have self determination but some State Assembly members across the country, in collaboration with their Governor’s who are feasting on monies meant for developing local governments at the grass root ‎levels thwarted the effort. Dogara assured that Senator Bala Mohammed will ensure the autonomy of local governments if elected Governor of Bauchi State in 2019 general elections. “You know what you are passing through, though we need not to tell you, we have absence of projects not only in Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas but the entire state of Bauchi. I fought for local government autonomy but they refused to accept the idea and local government funds are been mismanaged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government”. The speaker revealed. The speaker while urging Nigerians to vote out the APC, said “they said even if we win they will announce what they want, they behave as if they don’t know God , they are acting God but we know what God did to Pharaoh, we know what God did to Hitler, we know what God did to Ghadaffi and may God do same to them for taking the position of God”. Speaker Dogara who maintained that it is God who gives power to whom he pleases said, “apart from God, nobody gives or takes power. Cast your votes and wait until it is counted, don’t allow them to steal your votes “. He revealed that some people have connived with the government to cause crisis during the fourth coming elections, and the person sponsoring this is not a citizen of Bauchi and he can leave once the environment become uncomfortable. He will take his family out of the state if he is defeated in the election. Dogara said, “I want to assure you, we that you see here, we don’t hate Buhari, we are only concerned with the living condition of our people in the North East. For instance, what is happening in Borno and other states, shedding of blood of the innocent ‎people, there is no peace”. The speaker who apologised to the people of Bauchi State for aiding Governor Abubakar’s election in 2015 urged the electorates to massively vote for the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party at all levels in order to bring in competent persons who can positively change their living standard. Also speaking at venue of the event, former Senate majority leader Abdul Ningi said that the gathering was a litmus test for the APC led administration in the state. “I want to tell you, the people of Bauchi and Nigeria as a whole, that it is time for us in the North East to produce the President, enough of this slavery. If they come to you asking for votes, ask yourself, compare your life from those days when PDP was in power with 2015 to date. Where are you? What have you benefited from APC government? if not hunger, poverty and insecurity”. Ningi said. Senator Ningi while urging Nigerians to vote for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as President and not someone who will not work for them said Fashola deliberately stopped Mambila Dam project because they don’t want the people in the North East to tap from its economic benefits. “We need projects such as Mambila for the growth and development of the North East. If you vote Atiku, he will deliver the project for us”.‎ He assured. Ningi who called on security agencies and INEC to remain impartial during the fourth coming general elections said any police, army or whatever that is ready to join politics should relinquish his job and do so otherwise, they will be left with no option than to take necessary measures against such a person. According to him, “we will resist any effort by security agents to connived with the ruling All Progressives Congress as well as INEC to rig election, we will resist any form of rigging”. Samuel Luka, Bauchi