Tambuwal announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on the floors of the National Assembly on Tuesday, and vowed yesterday to join hands with other progressives in the APC to rout out the “PDP cabal ruling Nigeria.”

Although no official statement has been issued in that respect, our correspondent gathered that the decision to strip the number four man his security details may have been part of the decision reached at an emergency meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party leadership convened by President Goodluck on Wednesday.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, Deputy Speaker of the House, Emeka Ihedioha; the Deputy Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor; and a member from Delta State, Ndudi Elumelu were in attendance.

Some PDP governors such as Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa): Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe) and Sullivan Chime (Enugu) were also part of the meeting.

Top government officials who attended the parley included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Muhammed Adoke (SAN).

One of those in attendance told one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity that the meeting centered on how to make Tambuwal vacate his seat as speaker.

“The issue of the Speaker and his exit was one of the fundamental issues discussed at the meeting,” he said, though he did not disclose the decision reached at the meeting.

The presence of Adoke and Dasuki at the meeting suggested that they might have reviewed the legal and security implications of the options available to them with the two government officials.

The PDP had shortly after Tambuwal announced his defection called on him to do the needful by resigning as speaker.

The party, argued through its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, that since Tambuwal became the speaker on the ticket of the “majority party (PDP), he had no right to continue to occupy the seat.

But the House said on Tuesday that the PDP and most of the commentators on the issue were “ignorant” of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the House Standing Orders.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Speaker for confirmation proved abortive. His media aide Imam Imam pleaded with our correspondent to allow him reach out to the Speaker to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the story.

However, about 45 minutes after when calls were put through all his mobile numbers, the phones were switched off.

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The PDP’s candidate in the election, Iyiola‎ Omisore, is the major challenger to the incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The former governor, who was controversially removed as National Secretary of the PDP, and is challenging his removal and eventual replacement in court, is believed to wield a major influence in Osun.

Oyinlola who was accompanied to Tuesday’s meeting by the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu, was a member of the New PDP which was formed when some PDP governors fell out with the former party chairman, Bamanga Tukur.

When the New PDP eventually merged with the APC, Oyinlola decided to remain in the PDP but to fight for his position.

Oyinlola, a known loyalist of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is believed to have also been courted by the incumbent Osun governor.

Though the retired Brigadier General would not disclose details of his discussion with President Jonathan, he however said that he was determined to reclaim his position as National Secretary of the PDP, stressing that anyone occupying the office of the Secretary of the PDP is a pretender.

Oyinlola had after a PDP meeting said he was a rallying point to record victory for the party during the Osun governorship election and the 2015 general election.

“I was taken to the villa by the chairman of the party PDP, and we had some discussions as to how to move the fortunes of the party forward,” he said on Tuesday, stressing that “All I am saying is that Oyinlola in the face of the law remains the authentic secretary of the PDP. Anybody in that office for now, is a pretender.”

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Aluko, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, said he was the consensus candidate of the other 13 aspirants, adding he was chosen as the preferred candidate at a meeting attended by all the aspirants in Abuja last Friday.

He insisted that if President Goodluck Jonathan did not intervene in the PDP crisis in the state, he (Jonathan) would be the greatest loser at the end.

Aluko, who spoke in the presence of two other aspirants, said that after losing the governorship election in Ekiti State, the party would proceed to lose in Osun State.

While the governorship election in Ekiti has been schedule for June 21, the Osun poll comes up on August 9.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, had on Friday, while presenting Fayose the Certificate of Return as the party’s candidate, said he would soon invite other aspirants for a meeting in Abuja.

Fayose equally appealed to the losers of the primaries to work with him, noting that he would protect the interest of all members of the party.

Aluko however disagreed, saying he and the other aspirants had agreed to forward his own name to the President as the party’s candidate for the election.

He said the Electoral Act allowed the party to replace any of its candidate before election date.

The list of aspirants who endorsed Aluko, as contained in a communiqué signed by Chairman of PDP in Ekiti State, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, included Adeyanju Bodunde, Adeyeye Adebayo, Adubiaro Abibat, Ajayi Deji and Aluko Abiodun.

Others were Aribisala Adewale, Bejide Oluwadare, Obafemi Peter, Ogunbolude Ropo, Ogundipe Modupe, Olubolade Caleb and Omoyeni Adebisi, who sent a representative.

With Fayose’s emergence, Aluko said the PDP was already experiencing a meltdown, adding that the opposition was already discussing with most of the aggrieved members and leaders of the party in the state.

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Abubakar  said his resignation letter would be delivered to  the PDP  on Monday (today).

He also said, in a statement he personally signed, that he was joining the opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress.

The statement  came after the nationwide consultation that the former Vice-President embarked on in the last few weeks.

The consultation was as a result of the visit  of the  APC leaders to his Abuja residence  on December 18, 2013. The APC leaders had  asked him  to ditch the ruling party.

In the statement, Abubakar  listed some of the grievances he had against  the PDP to  include  the refusal of the leadership of the party  to listen to his numerous complaints.

For example, he said that in 2006, he and his supporters were pushed out of the PDP, a party   they worked tirelessly with other compatriots to build as a vehicle for  restoring democracy to our country.

But he said they later returned to  the PDP  in 2009 when a new leadership of the party promised a new direction.

Abubakar, however, regretted that this was not done.

“Sadly, however, those promises have not been kept.  In addition, the PDP continues to be beset with many crises, mostly leadership-induced crises.

“We have, therefore, concluded that that party (PDP) cannot be redeemed. In short the PDP has abandoned Nigerians, the very people who gave it life and many electoral victories.

“It has since lost touch with Nigerians and efforts made by many well-meaning members and stakeholders to bring it back to the vision of  its  founders have been rebuffed.

“To demonstrate the seriousness of the challenges and bring public attention to it,  I and some other leaders and stakeholders,  staged a walkout during the party’s last convention  on August 30.”

Those, who joined in the walkout included Governors  Aliyu Wamakko(Sokoto); Sule Lamido(Jigawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Babangida(Niger); Abdulfatai Ahmed(Kwara ); Murtala Nyako(Adamawa) and Rabiu Kwakwanso(Kano).

The seven governors, except Aliyu and Lamido, have joined the APC.

In the statement on Sunday,  Abubakar said it  was also worrisome that PDP’s culture of impunity and arbitrariness posed a great challenge to the continued existence of Nigeria.

“We continue to have threats from officially protected political extremists. Increasingly, our people are recklessly being divided along the lines of religion, ethnicity and region for political gains.  Our history and that of many other countries in Africa and Eastern Europe ought to teach us that this is very dangerous and must stop,” the Turaki of Adamawa said.

Abubakar, who in  2007 dumped  the PDP for the defunct Action Congress, said it was against this background that he decided to join the APC.

He added,  “I have been consulting my supporters and associates, my family and friends for the past few weeks.  My decision may not satisfy some of my friends and associates.

“In the end, however, I have to put the interest of our country first.  This country has done so much for me personally and it deserves all that we can do to help rebuild it and serve our people better.

“Following this extensive consultative process, I have, therefore, decided to cast my lot with the APC, a party of change committed to the improvement of the lives of our people and to the continued existence and development of Nigeria as one indivisible country.  My resignation letter as a member of the PDP will be delivered to the party tomorrow(today).”

Abubakar  defended his decision to join the APC, saying  that the struggle for democracy,  constitutionalism and service to  the country and its people  were paramount in his  mind.

He encouraged his  associates and friends to   join the APC  “so that together, we can change this country for the better.”

He  said he would do all within his God-given powers to help the APC win elections all over Nigeria and bring true change to our country and its long-suffering people.

APC’s acting Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai Mohammed, said  that Abubakar would be an asset to the opposition party.

“He is welcome into the progressive fold. It is apparent now that the sinking ship of the PDP is gone. Very soon, those managing the affairs of the party would know that they are alone.

“I want to appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to also borrow a leaf from those that have escaped from the sinking ship and move  to the APC,” Mohammed said.

The  Coalition of Progressive Democrats, has also hailed  Abubakar’s decision  to join the APC.

Addressing  journalists  in Abuja on Sunday, the spokesperson  for  the CPD, Oladimeji Fabiyi,  said the former vice-president had “nothing doing is such a dead political party like the PDP.”

Fabiyi,  who is also the National Coordinator of Turaki Vanguard, added that  the  PDP   lacked  ideas as a party that was prepared to take the nation to the next level.

He  said that the new  National Chairman of the PDP,Adamu Muazu, was not in the position to bring any meaningful change to the troubled party.

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