By Mohammed Mohammed
With less than two years to the 2023 general elections the centrifugal and centripetal forces of attraction is gradually creeping in causing depletion either to or from any of the two major political parties: The Peoples Democratic Party and the All-Progressives Party (APC). This time around, APC is the gainer and PDP the loser.
In what many say is coming too late, Governor Ben Ayade’s defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is actually long expected and did not come as a tsunamis.
This is deeply obviously because of his long mid night romance with the ruling party. Political watchers regret that the defection is coming came rather late.
While considering the shocking move of the Cross State Governor by members of the PDP. the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Messrs. Femi Gbajabiamila and his Deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege, have expressed delight over the defection of the governor.
Gbajabiamila said Gov. Ayade’s action has once again shown that APC is the party to beat in the country.
Gbajabiamila’s Spokesperson, Mr. Lanre Lasisi, in a statement said the Speaker said the cross carpeting from the party that brought him to power was the right decision he took, adding that he has shown a good example for others to follow.
He said: “APC remains open to all, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to join the APC to move the country forward.
The Speaker noted that APC will continue to be just and fair to all its members. While also reacting to the decision by the governor to join progressive forces of the All Progressives Congress, the Deputy Speaker said, Ayade’s move is a liberation from the forces of retrogression.
Omo-Agege, applauded Ayade for seeing the need to improve his people’s fortunes and further help cement national unity by bringing Cross River State into APC.
Reacting to the defection of the Cross River State governor from the main opposition PDP to the governing APC, the Delta Central lawmaker said: “Governor Ayade has displayed uncommon courage of conviction in order to take Cross River and the South-South in general out of the periphery to mainstream politics of the nation.”
He was upbeat that with the coming of the governor into the APC, the South-South region is poised to take its rightful place in the nation’s politics.
“It is remarkable that Governor Ayade, our party’s new leader in Cross River State had been confronting numerous needless retrogressive intrigues from his former party base but while receiving him with open arms in APC, we unequivocally recognise him as the state party leader.
“The essence of this is to enable him focus on the task of accelerating further people-focussed development in his state by sharing the progressive vision of APC and that of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Governor Ayade has wasted no time in declaring that he is joining our party so as to bring back Cross River to the centre in order to enhance her fortunes.
“Light and great vision are never hidden under a bushel. We appreciate all those who have commended Governor Ayade for this timely and courageous move, even as we expect such further declarations in due course.
“Beyond the mere issue of politics, there is much more that all of us, as citizens, can do towards working with President Buhari to enhance the future and unity of Nigeria.
“Again, I commend Governor Ayade for bringing his state into our party and further facilitating possibilities of actualising APC’s progressive manifesto across the entire federation”.
The development, he noted, was unprecedented and a game-changer in the nation’s political development, adding that more governors are set to join the governing party in due course.