Senator Elisha Abbo, a lawmaker from Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria has defected from Nigeria’s opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abbo, who was recently convicted and fined for assaulting a woman, announced his switch on the floor of the Senate.
In a letter titled “Movement of God’s People from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC,” Abbo blamed the mismanagement of the opposition in his state as his reason for changing parties. He said governor of the state Ahmad Fintiri is not handling the party well.
“I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), ” he wrote in the letter.
“This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarization of the party in the state (PDP and rPDP).
“Today I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhamadu Buhari to build the Nigeria of our dreams.
“The journey may be long, but we are on the right track as I strongly believe that by the end of the tenure of Mr President, Nigeria will be a better place.
“My Senate President Sir, it is worthy of note that in the history of Nigeria’s Nascent democracy, specifically from 1999 till date, no President has paid attention to the welfare of Nigerian Citizens like President Muhamadu Buhari as it is evident in packages such as:i. Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT); ii. Homegrown School Feeding Program (HGFP); iii. Trader Money; iv. Market Money; v. Farmers’ Money; vi. nPower; vii. Special Public Works Programme, currently employing 1000 persons from each of the 774 local Government Areas; viii. National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA): Buhari Young Farmer’s Network; ix. Artisans and Transportation Grants; x. Guaranteed Off-take Scheme; xi. CAC Business Formalization Scheme; xii. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) Grants among others.
“Thus, in living up to the expectation of the good people of Adamawa North Senatorial District, I hereby defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with effect from today being Wednesday, the 25th day of November, 2020.
“Accept Distinguished SP Sir, the assurances of my highest regards.”