TheCable

Mohammed Goni, former governor of old Borno state, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Goni, who governed old Borno from 1979 to 1983, said he decamped due to the achievements of the president, particularly in the area of security.

The former governor was part of the north-east delegation that met with President Buhari on Monday.

Goni said: “I know the president very well; I was the council secretary when he was governor of north-east. He is a performer.

“We want the president to continue, we don’t want him to go because if he goes, the insurgency will not end, if a new person comes, the process will start all over.

“The way he is handling that problem now, shows he is energetic and committed to the course.

“So, he needs time to consolidate what he has done. It is important to keep him in office for two consecutive terms.”

Umar Bukar Bolori, who led the delegation, said the country needs someone like Buhari for speedy transformation of its economy.

He said: “The issue is not on whether a Northerner is leading the country or not, it doesn’t matter. We need somebody who can actually deliver the goods.

“We witnessed what happened when Abubakar Atiku was the vice-president of this country; basically he was the defector president in the first term of former president (Olusegun Obaanjo) but nothing to show in the entire north-east.

“We have confidence in Buhari and that is why we are now with him.”