The Chief of Staff to Senate President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, on Monday formally defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ahmed said his decision to leave the ruling party was solely his and have nothing to do with the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
He described his decision to leave APC as a difficult one.
He said he took the decision after due consultation with members of his Akida faction of APC in Kaduna.
Recall that the Akida faction of the APC in Kaduna has been at loggerheads with the Governor Nasir El-Rufai led faction.
Consequently, all three senators Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Sulieman Hukunyi (Kaduna North), and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna South) representing Kaduna State on floor of the Senate are from the Akida faction.
Baba-Ahmed, while addressing journalists in Kaduna on Monday, said he has sent a letter of withdrawal from APC to the party chairman in his ward.
He explained that he was not leaving APC to join another party but believes the ruling party has underperformed.
“This statement is to inform the public of my resignation from APC. I have sent a formal letter to this effect to chairman of my ward.
“This has been a very difficult decision, to leave a party I helped to form and made my humble contributions to put in power.
“After three years, however, I need to say that the APC has grossly under-performed and has forfeited any claim to my loyalty and continue membership.
“I do not believe in all conscience, that it should be trusted and encouraged to continue to govern our great country beyond 2019.
“I am not leaving to join another party. This is my decision and mine alone. It has nothing to do with the president of the Senate Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
“It’s a decision taken after due consultations with Akida Group, a group that has predated my appointment as chief of staff to the President of the Senate.
“I will remain active in politics, as this is the main avenue for salvaging our nation from rising insecurity, poverty and bitter divisions,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed is a former chairman of the APC in Kaduna as well as a former chairman of the now defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC).
He thanked the APC for the opportunities he had to chair CPC and APC in Kaduna State.
He was appointed by Saraki as Chief of Staff in 2017.
