‘I Won’t Appoint PDP Defectors into My Cabinet'' – Buhari

Amidst growing apprehension over the gale of defections to the All Progressives Congress, APC, by notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, has said the party has nothing to fear over the mass defection into the party.

Buhari said during an interaction with journalists in his Daura residence on Saturday:

“I have no fears of PDP defectors.” 

According to him, the PDP chieftains would have very little influence in the APC government, adding that the PDP bigwigs will be wise enough not to jostle for positions in the new government.

“The people who are defecting will only have influence in their constituencies. Since
their constituencies are now controlled by the APC, their influence is, therefore, limited.

“I hope the people that are defecting will accept the fact that they are joining the people who succeeded. So, I don’t think they will just come and say they want to be ministers next month simply because they were ministers before.'' 

While John Oyegun, the national chairman of APC advised those defecting from PDP to stay back in their party and make it formidable. He said this yesterday, that the  massive defections by PDP politicians was not good for Nigeria’s political development. Mr. Oyegun, who spoke to newsmen in Benin shortly after casting his vote, advised those defecting to the winning party to rather form a formidable opposition to enrich the nation’s democracy. 

“Many opposition party members have defected to APC just because they lost out, that is not good for political development. One would have advised that opposition members should stay where they are, and form a formidable opposition party.” Mr. Oyegun said.

He described the governorship and houses of assembly elections as “the most decent, orderly and peaceful” ever conducted in Edo.