Saraki’s defection: Ilorin jubilates

THE Senate President, who arrived Ilorin Tuesday evening, was received by the tumultuous crowd who had gathered at the popular ‘Ile l’oke’, Saraki GRA residence in the metropolis, singing and shouting PDP slogans.

Some of the supporters were also seen burning brooms, the symbol of the APC, the party left by Saraki, just as they lamented alleged maltreatment experienced in the APC.

The Senate President immediately entered into a closed-door meeting with party leaders, such as Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, 23 out of 24 members of the state House of Assembly, commissioners, and local government party chairmen among others, while the outcome of the meeting was being awaited by members of the structure outside the venue.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that Saraki told his supporters at the meeting that his decision to dump the All Progressive Congress which he helped into power in 2015 was based on the insistence of his supporters and the guidance he received from God.

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“We discussed this issue last week when I came home. You told me that you were tired of APC, but I asked you to exercise patience. I told you that I will seek God’s guidance and feed you back on my return to Ilorin.

” The federal government appointed over 200 persons into juicyoffices without allotting any slot to me or Dogara. Everything went to Katsina, Katsina, Lagos, Lagos. If not for the love I have for Nigeria, we would have scattered everything. They don’t want us in their party. They don’t like us in Kwara. What I am after is for my people to enjoy dividends of democracy. I want us to be in the party that will love my people. Wherever we are we will win elections. The governor told me he’s tired of APC. Those we are talking to in PDP have understood that we need to move Nigeria forward. There is no cause for alarm. We should forget about personal ambition as we move to a new party. What should be paramount in our minds is Nigeria’s progress. We will set up our committee which will be meeting with the PDP committee. I’ve met with great stakeholders in PDP such as Prof Sulaiman, Ajibola Simon, Yekini Alabi and we have all agrees to work together. We should cooperate with PPD people who we are joining”, he said.