The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to claims by former Senate President Bukola Saraki that the party will soon witness mass defection of key players to the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The former Kwara governor said a former governor and some bigwigs in the ruling party were set to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Saraki revealed this in an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday. He also debunked insinuations that he might return to APC.
His words: “There were certain governors that we already know that will leave. And we were not surprised that they defected to the APC. Since then, we have had some bigwigs that joined us. Also this week, there is a former governor that is going to join our party, the PDP.
“Aside from that, we know that some of the leaders in the ruling party will not defect early; rather, they will do it late. You saw that during the 2015 elections.
“So, keep watching. Nigerians will not be surprised when they begin to see some defections from the ruling party to the PDP.”
But the APC in a swift reaction said Saraki was only voicing a mere wishful thinking.
The National Secretary of APC Caretaker Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, said Saraki was only imagining things.
“As a political party, we don’t play to the gallery with opposition. We always speak the truth, especially when we are replying to a friend who can still join our party. Mind you, he (Senator Saraki) was one of the founding members of our party, who left for PDP because of power struggle.”
Puncturing Saraki’s statement on the impending mass defections, Akpanudoedehe said: “I want Nigerians to wait and see if what he says will come to pass. Some politicians are forum seekers. They jump from one place to another. All I will say is that Nigerians should watch and see if his (Saraki) prophesy will come to pass or not.
“APC is solid. The speculation of the gale of defections is best described as his (Saraki) imagination.”
