Why I left APC – Dogara

By: Oliseama Okwuchukwu

House of Representatives Speaker yesterday officially defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying he had to go back to the party under whose platform he was elected to the House.

Dogara announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a letter he read on the floor yesterday with two others, Edward Pwajok (Plateau) and Ahmed Yerima (Bauchi).

He said PDP has rebranded with an articulated and clear programme to rescue Nigeria.

Prior to his formal announcement, Dogara had returned to PDP and secured the House of Representative ticket to represent Bogoro/Das/Tafawa Balewa Federal constituency of Bauchi State.

Citing injustice meted out to him, Dogara said: “In May 2017, I formally joined the APC consequent upon the crisis that afflicted the PDP, leading to the creation of factions, which negatively affected me.

 “Subsequent to my defection, the Supreme Court declared that there was no faction in the PDP.

“The party has since rebranded itself in a credible and transparent manner, it has been conducting its affairs.

“However, the APC, which I joined, has lost the confidence of my constituents and indeed the people of my state by the undemocratic manner it conducts its affairs.

“Space will not allow me to table the misgivings of my constituents…

Accordingly, this is to formally inform you that I have since gone back to the party under whose platform I was elected to the House, and which has articulated a clear programme to rescue Nigeria; that is the PDP.”

A section of the floor applauded the announcement shouting PDP.

The House adjourned sitting till after the presidential election on February 19 to allow members participate in the electioneering activities.