PDP governors shocked, embarrassed over Ayade’s defection, says Gov Ishaku

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are shocked and embarrassed by the defection of Cross River state governor Ben Ayade given the efforts they put in to make sure that he remained in the main opposition party, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, has said.

He made this position known in a chat with correspondents after a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the presidential villa, Abuja on Friday.

He noted that all the PDP governors regard the party as an alternative to the ruling party and wondered why any of them would want to leave.

According to him, the PDP governors were doing well in their respective states perhaps because of the pressure of being in opposition, noting that only Ayade knew why he had to leave the party at this time.

However, Governor Ishaku stressed the need for a vibrant opposition in a democracy or else, the government would go astray.

He said: “Well, I wouldn’t know precisely the governor’s thinking, because all of us are different, but we are greatly shocked and embarrassed that he will suddenly dump the party for APC, because all of us see PDP as an alternative to APC and all the PDP governors are doing very, very well, in their respective states.

“And for him to leave to APC, I don’t know the details of that. I have not seen it. But be that as it may, I believe that any democratic country must have an opposition, a viable opposition and opposition in itself is good for democracy.

“If you don’t have an opposition, then the government in power can go astray and so I believe in a vibrant democracy with an opposition. If we have an opposition, is good.

“But as for the reason why our colleague in PDP will depart, I don’t know the details, and I can’t vouch for him. He has the tough one. But I want to assure you that all the governors, all the governors in PDP are doing very well, very well in their respective states.

“Possibly because we’re in opposition and the pressure is on us and we are doing the best you can.

“I will invite you to my state in Taraba, to come and see the beautiful works I’m doing there in all ramifications. From education, agriculture, name it, we are doing a great job, infrastructure, etc.”

On why the effort of the Bukola Saraki’s reconciliation and strategy committee was not enough to prevent Ayade’s defection, he explained: “Let me tell you, they have done a good job. A very good one. But it depends on the decision of an individual and what he actually hopes to gain.

“You may get the best of intentions, somebody may not agree with you. And so, that is the point that I think is more of the governor’s decision as it affects him, and that nobody can hold brief for that.”

The governor also commented on the likelihood of more PDP governors joining that All Progressive Congress (APC), saying that it would not happen again.

He added: “I don’t see that happening and like I said even his own was a shock to some of us. I don’t see that happening. And for Nigeria, we should hope for the opposition, a vibrant opposition that will help to put and maintain the system going. Democracy without opposition is not a democracy.”

On whether governors have indeed subscribed to the removal of fuel subsidy, he said: “These are all issues that are ongoing, I can’t preempt anything now even including the issue of JASUN. They are all ongoing. Committees have been set up. The issues are still ongoing.”

Asked to react to the reported deaths of Boko Haram leader, Ibrahim Shekau, Governor Ishaku, recalled that there had been many such stories in the past.

“This news has always been like that. Let’s wait and see if it is true and if it true then, we are hoping that the solution is in sight,” he declared.

The governor said he was in the villa to brief the Chief of Staff on some issues, which he hoped would be passed on to the President.

“I came to brief the Chief of Staff to pass some of my observations and thoughts to Mr. President, particularly on Mambilla hydropower,” he revealed

He said efforts were ongoing to deal with insecurity in Taraba state, which he said had been substantially brought under control.

He further said: “Well, we are doing our best under the circumstances to make sure that we reduce as much as possible the casualties. And in Taraba, well, we have tried to reduce it. But of recent, we’re still having our own problems too. But we work on it and we’re on top of it.

“Just last week, I had some problems between the herders and the farmers and we have quelled it substantially. But with a lot of losses, we’re hoping that we would have come to a full stop by now.”

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