All set for Dogara, Saraki to dump APC

Speaker Yakubu Dogara has left little to doubt his readiness to skip out on his ruling APC as he was absent at the peace-building meeting with the party leadership on Thursday.

No reason was yet to be given for his absence at the meeting.

Majority Leader Gbajabiamila led the APC caucus to the meeting attended by party chair Adams Oshiomhole and others.

Dogara would be joining 36 other honourables who shipped out to the PDP on Tuesday.

The ruling party has been caught in a crisis which many believe will further shatter its cohesion before the 2019 general election.

No fewer than 15 senators swarmed to the PDP same Tuesday in the upper chamber.
Many more may defect, including Senate President Bukola Saraki.

In a statement following his escape from police siege on Tuesday in Abuja, Saraki said his persecution result from his decision–and those of his associates–to dump the ruling party which criminalises ite members.

Beides, the party’s decision to not offer any senator or rep an automatic ticket, which Gbajabiamila also alluded to, does not sit well with many of the federal lawmakers.

According to him, it is time to consolidate and stay in touch with members and keep them close, appreciate them, and fight for them.

“If you want this country to progress, we cannot continue to turn members around,” he said.

“First-timers, who have acquired experience to become ranking members and have represented the party at the grassroots level should be taken into serious consideration and I think they deserve second terms,” he said.

But Oshiomhole stated the party will provide a level-playing ground.

“Somebody asked me are we countering the Peoples Democratic Party by offering automatic tickets,  I asked,  did we offer anybody departure ticket? If we did not, then how does the issue of return ticket arise?” said the chairman.

Many state governors in the ruling party also oppose offering automatic tickets to the lawmakers.

And the governors, who have been at loggerheads with their federal lawmakers, are the reason for this mass defection, according to Ita Enang, special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Senate matters.