Dogara justifies defection of PDP members to APC

THE Speaker House of epresentatives HonourableYakubuDogara, has defended defection of some members Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the National Assembly to the All Progressives Congress (APC), hinging their action on perceived confusion in the erstwhile governing party in the country.

Dogara, who stated this at a reception organised for PDP members that defected to APC in Plateau State, on Wednesday, in Jos, the state capital, said the crisis rocking the PDP had put most of its members in a dilemma.

“Everybody knows there are two factions in PDP. There are those who said we don’t want to belong to any faction, be it Markarfi or Sherriff faction. Some don’t even know where they belong, hence many of them jettisoned the PDP on the floor of the House and were received into the APC,” he stated.

The Speaker, who applauded the efforts of President MohamaduBuhari to turn around the economy of the country, implored Nigerians to continue to bear with the government, saying that the president and his team were doing what they could to address the anomaly inherited from the previous administration.

“In President Buhari, there is a determination. You can see in him the desire that our people should not suffer, and he is struggling to ensure that there is emergence of a new order. Despite the fact that we are not the ones that caused the problem the country is facing now, we have accepted the responsibility of putting things right again,” he said.

In his address, the national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, commended the state governor, Simon Lalong, for an excellent performance during the recent governorship election in Ondo State.

The governor was the leader of the APC team for the election.

Odigie enjoined Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds, to have confidence and faith in the ability of President Buhari to revamp the economy, even as he expressed optimism that the country would be out of recession in 2017.

“We can see anguish in the eyes of our people but, you need that assurance that you have a man in President Buhari working closely with Dogara; working closely with his ministers to address the challenges in the country. The president is slaving day and night to put things right but, I can assure you that by this time next year, there will be a broad smile in all your faces,” the APC chairman said.

Also speaking, GovernorLalong, who said the president had not disappointed Nigerians, as he had virtually fulfilled all his pre-election promises to the people of Plateau two and half years ago.

“We encourage opposition; Mr President has not disappointed the people of Plateau State, based on what he told us when he came here (Plateau) for campaign. We are surmounting all the challenges we met with the support we are receiving from the president. One of our greatest achievements is peace on the Plateau,” the governor said.

Among the defectors were a former governor of the state,  Senator JoshuaDariye; Ambassador IgnatuisLongjan, deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly Honourable Yusuf Gardi; Chief MachibiVwarji; Jimmy Cheto, Professor Danladi At; Ngo Naomi Jugul;HonourableDiket Plank;HonourableAminu Jonathan; Pam Dung Gyang.