TheCable

Ramatu Aliyu, minister of state for the federal capital territory (FCT), says “over 4,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)” defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Abuja.

The FCT minister disclosed this in a statement issued by Austine Elemue, her media aide, on Sunday.

According to the statement, Aliyu received the decampees and charged them to use their political weight to ensure victory for the party come FCT area council election billed for February 2022 and beyond.

“We are here today to receive over 4,000 of our brothers and sisters who have decided on their own to join the ruling APC,” she was quoted as saying.

“They came from various political parties, especially the major opposition parties, the PDP and APGA. We appreciate them.

“They have keyed into the agenda of the second term of the incumbent chairman, the second term of credible governance, the second term of competent leadership, the second term of solid management of our common patrimony in Kwali area council.”

On his part, Abdulmalik Usman, APC Chairman in FCT, revealed that some of the decampees were founding members of the All Progressives Congress before they jumped ship.

He added that “we have nothing against them than to receive them back to their house.”

“Today, we are here to make another history, the history of receiving our brothers, some of whom we started this party together,” he was quoted as saying.

“Our brothers and sisters whom we struggled hard to form this party at that time. So it is welcome back home for these members sitting here today.

“We are here to receive these people back home. They travelled somewhere, and they said the atmosphere there was not conducive for them.

“Coming back home, they are back to meet their brothers and sisters in good health, and we have nothing against them than to receive them back to their house.

“We are not here to campaign because we don’t want anybody to indict our party.”