Defection: Rumble in APC states over structure harmonisation

A widening gulf among major power brokers in the All Progressives Congress (APC) is trailing the defections of bigwigs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling APC states, Nigerian Tribune can report.

It was discovered at the weekend that what appeared to be the initial source of ecstasy among the party faithful is becoming a major worry for APC key stakeholders.

While the rumble has taken the form of passive resistance by power centres, the situation has assumed subtle threat and open demonstration by some caucuses because of the fear that the emerging trend could alter the subsisting power structure in the APC.

One of the issues in contention is harmonisation of structures, following the defection of high-profile politicians, including governors to collapse the structures of their hitherto platform into the APC.

By the tradition of political parties, including the APC, a governor is automatically the leader of his party in his domain.

Many party chieftains are concerned that the defections posed a threat to the ambition of some party buffs, who, according to them, have made enormous sacrifices to make the APC formidable and wax strong, while individually nursed the ambition to run for high-profile elective offices, including the office of governor.

The APC stalwarts are worried about the likelihood of the national leadership of party reining them in to concede automatic tickets to incumbent governors and others eyeing choice offices among the defectors.

The implication of the directive is that the PDP governors that have so far defected to the APC have become the de facto leader of the party in their states, and have taken over the structures of the party.

It should be recalled that the entire structures of the ruling PDP in Akwa Ibom and Delta states were collapsed into the APC in April and May, respectively, following the defections of their governors.

There are strong indications that leadership of the PDP in Osun State may also joined the fray as members of the various caucuses in the party at the weekend pledged to follow the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, wherever he decides to go.

While the governor has received widespread endorsements from PDP stakeholders in his re-election bid next year, no fewer than 10 aspirants are jostling for the ticket of the APC.

Among the leading contenders for the APC ticket are the national secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Basiru, Prince Dotun Babayemi (ODB), Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), Iyiola Omisore, Akin Ogunbiyi, Benedict Gboyega Alabi (BOA), and Mudashiru Hussain.

In Delta, the governorship candidate of APC in 2023 and serving senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, is believed to be on the verge of defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ostensibly in his bid to run for governorship again in 2027.

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