Waves of defection hit APC over Tinubu’s choice of running mate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is experiencing a wave of resignations as a result of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s selection of former Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima as his running mate, presenting a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

One party chieftain from Delta State, Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena (ret.), has resigned in protest of the choice.

This is coming days after Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to the deputy senate president and Delta state governorship candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege resigned from the party for the same reason.

Ajobena who was also a national caucus member of the APC who resigned from the party on Tuesday, said the Muslim-Muslim ticket was “the highest level of insensitivity to the Christian faith in the country.”

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In a statement he issued in Warri announcing his resignation from the party, Ajobena, who was the first Military Administrator of Abia State, said the decision of Tinubu and the party to settle for another Muslim as a running mate was not only unfair but inhumane without taking Christians in the country into consideration.

“Tinubu is not my enemy, I am not against him. But let’s call a spade a spade. It is not my character to be a double agent, I am not pretending; even though I like the APC, the right thing should be done.

“The decision could be described as one that portrays arrogance and total disrespect to us, Christians, in the APC.

“The latest development portrays us as a people who can easily be bought over with money. Such an action is a minus to our democratic system. In what capacity will I be serving in his campaign train? As a slave?

“A man must stand for something, else will fall for anything, hence, I am quitting,” the former Air Force chief said.

Among those who have so far defected from the APC to the PDP include a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Abdullahi Balarabe Salame.

Salame, who represents Ilella/Gwadabawa Federal Constituency, is a three-term member of the House of Representatives, having spent two terms in the state House of Assembly, where he served as the Speaker as well as acting governor of the state.

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Also, the former Minister for Transportation, Hon Yusuf Suleiman obtained his PDP membership card from the chairman of the party in the state.

Another aspirant who defected to the PDP is a renowned Sokoto-based businessman, Alh Abdullahi Abubakar Gumbi.

The story is the same in Rivers state, where some of the supporters of Rotimi Amaechi have also dumped the APC over the Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential race.