A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Vincent Ogbulafor, on Friday met with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
The meeting, which lasted for about 45 minutes, was speculated as part of the plan for Ogbulafor to dump the PDP for the APC, but Ogbulafor, who had once boasted that the PDP would rule Nigeria for at least 60 years, denied such plan to leave the party.
The former PDP boss, while addressing journalists after the meeting, however added that the possibility of his defection to the APC could not be outrightly ruled out.
“I have been National Chairman, National Secretary and Minister. I will remain in PDP until it becomes necessary to make a change,” he said.
Ogbulafor insisted that he was at the APC secretariat to congratulate the party’s national chairman on the victory of the party in the just concluded general elections.
Ogbulafor said his boast when he was the PDP National Chairman that the party would rule for at least 60 years crumbled because of the dismantling of the Nigerian Governors Forum.
His encounter with journalists went thus:
We are surprised you are here sir
I just came back into town yesterday (Thursday) and I came to congratulate the national chairman of APC for a job well done.
Don’t you think some of your party members in the PDP might read meaning to this?
How can they feel offended? I am still in the PDP.
Are you considering joining APC?
Not yet. Even if I will, not yet.
How do you feel about General Buhari’s victory at the poll?
I am very happy.
But sir, we recalled that you were the one who said PDP would rule for 60 years.
Well, when they dismantled governors forum, what do you expect?
But you are coming to associate with APC?
I am a Nigerian.
Won’t it be treated as anti-party activity by your party?
I am a Nigerian. APC has produced the President of this country and I have to congratulate him for a job well done.
Are you still in PDP?
Why not?
How would you describe the election in Abia your home state?
When they conclude it, you will get the result.
How soon should we be expecting you in APC?
I have been National Chairman, National Secretary and Minister. I will remain in PDP until it becomes necessary to make a change.
In his reaction, National Deputy Chairman (South) of the APC, Segun Oni, said the meeting between Odigie-Oyegun and Ogbulafor was private, insisting that the meeting had nothing to do with Ogbulafor defecting to the APC.
“I saw him (Ogbulafor) but I think it is a private visit he came for. Don’t forget, the National Chairman is his friend and some of us are also his friends. I don’t think it has anything to do with him coming to the APC,” Oni said.
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