Opeyemi Bamidele: We’re building government of national unity… APC won’t shut door on defectors

Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate majority leader, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) is now running a government of national unity and will not close its door to politicians willing to join.

Bamidele spoke on Tuesday during the plenary at the senate chamber after three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators–Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi central; Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi north); and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi south)–formally joined the ruling APC.

On May 9, Aliero, Abdullahi, Maidoki and all members of the house of representatives from the state met with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, where they informed him of their decision to join the ruling party.

Bamidele said the defection by the lawmakers had nothing to do with creating a one-party state in the country as being alleged by opposition politicians.

“The ruling party will not close our doors to anyone intending to join the party, he said.

“In the same way, we will not also discriminate against anyone either on the basis of religion, tribe or any other factor. Our doors will continue to be open for more people to join at all levels.”

The senate leader added that lawmakers from various opposition parties are choosing to align with the APC of their own volition.

“In the meantime, we will continue to work with the members of the minority political parties,” he said.

“It is not by sheer coincidence that virtually all political parties from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have to join the ruling APC.

“Even the APGA, which has not joined the ruling party, has also graciously nominated and donated an honourable minister of state to the federal government of Nigeria under the APC administration.

“That is to say, what we now are running is a government of national unity.”

Bamidele praised the defectors, adding that their voluntary action was in contrast with past incidents under the PDP.

“We were all in this country when PDP was the ruling party. We saw all the things that happened under the PDP in an attempt to get more states, more seats in the senate and more seats in the house of representatives,” he said.

“We are not at the polls. No one is being coerced; if anyone is coerced, definitely the person is not Senator Adamu Aliero.

“All of us know that the person cannot be Senator Yahaya Abdullahi that will be co-opted.

“Neither will Senator Garba Maidoki with a stint in the private sector before he ventured into politics defect to APC without clear conviction. They are not all in politics so that they can feed themselves and families.”

Bamidele said the defectors are seasoned politicians who made the decision in good faith.

“As far as we are concerned, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi that I know will rather stay in opposition and be very loud,” he said.

“They all recognise that this is not the time for grandstanding. This is the time for all of us to work together to take Nigeria to the next level.

“One of the defectors has been privileged to be the governor of Kebbi state, precisely from 1999 to 2007.

“He even served as the honourable minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Today, he is the most ranking member of the senate. Another one has served as the leader of the senate in the 9th national assembly.

“These are people who know what they are doing. They can never mislead the people of Kebbi state. They can never mislead Nigeria.”

The senate leader said the defections should be seen as a positive development.

“For us in APC, this is a wonderful development. For those who are keenly watching political developments, rest assured that at the end of the day, this can only be for the good and greatness of Nigeria,” he said.

“To the rest of our colleagues on the minority aisle, we will continue to work together for the progress of Nigeria.”

Abdullahi Ganduje, APC national chairman; Nasir Idris, governor of Kebbi; and Sulaiman Argungu, APC national organising secretary, were present at the plenary to witness the defection.