By John Alechenu, The Punch
Northern Governors elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have asked the Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) administration to stop intimidating members of the opposition into joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku said this after a meeting with his colleagues in Abuja, late last week.
The Governors alleged that their Cross River and Zamfara State counterparts, Ben Ayade and Bello Matawalle respectively, were browbeaten and intimidated into leaving the PDP to join the ruling party, APC.
The PDP Governors also accused the Buhari administration of doing little, if anything, for the North despite controlling political power.
Governor Ishaku said, “All Governors of the PDP who have joined the ruling APC in recent times, did so because of intimidation. Most of our members are also being intimidated persistently. We want the intimidation stopped because we are not comfortable with it.
“We all resolved that the APC Government has not provided the leadership needed in the North. And so, we the PDP Governors in the North are not satisfied with the leadership of the APC Government in the North.
“And we are drawing the attention that even though the leadership is in the North, our region is being short-changed. We want that observation to be noted.
“We the PDP Governors have also resolved that, on our own, to continue to do our best for our people as we have already been doing in our various States.”
However, responding to then allegations by the PDP Governors, the National Secretary of APC, Senator John Akpanudoehede, who doubles as the party’s Spokesperson, dismissed their claims.
He said, “We do not want to join issues with an opposition which is going into extinction. But let them know that all of those who have so far joined our great party did so on their own volition.
“They have seen the progress being made under the transparent leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, some have come out to testify openly that the personal integrity of Mr. President was a great motivation. We are expecting those of them who are yet to see the light to do so by joining us.”