APC gripped with panic over mass defection, following Atiku’s exit

macfranc007 November 25, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Buchi Obichie

- Following the defection of Atiku Abubakar from the APC to the PDP, chieftains of the ruling party are reportedly fearful of a mass defection

- Some party chieftain stated that there are fears that other aggrieved members could also leave the ruling party

- The APC national secretary however stated that the party was not fearful at this moment, as it was still waiting to see how many others would follow Atiku

Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been gripped with fear that the exit of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, could lead to a mass defection from the ruling party, Punch reports.

Atiku exited the ruling party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, November 24.

NAIJ.com gathers that some APC chieftains are worried that what befell the PDP in 2014 when some of the party’s governors and federal lawmakers left the party, could also befall the ruling party before the 2019 general elections.

Some chieftains of the ruling party reportedly disclosed that they were fearful that other aggrieved members of the party could also depart, like Atiku.

One particular chieftain reportedly stated that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Rabiu Kwakwanso, two top party members, were displeased with the way the party was being run.

He further stated that some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s associates including his chief of staff, Abba Kyari and nephew, Maman Daura, “have constituted themselves into a powerful cabal. They take key decisions in this government."

He went further: “Those who ensured Buhari’s election have been sidelined. If the APC and the presidency dismiss Atiku’s defection, they are not realistic.

“There are fears that the party may crumble. Apart from the minister of women affairs, Aisha Alhassan, there are other appointees of this government that are supporters of Atiku.”

However, when contacted, Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC national secretary, stated that the ruling party was waiting to see how many people would follow the former VP out of the party.

He stated: “A loss of fortune is in numbers. If we are able to see the number of people that would follow the former vice president to his new party, that is when we will begin to worry. But we have not seen that.

“So, when we see, we will know whether we need to worry or not. It is about the numbers.”

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Recall that NAIJ.com previously reported that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar announced his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There had been speculation that the former vice president would dump the ruling party for the PDP, and he finally confirmed this via a statement.

Atiku stated that the promised change of the APC had failed to manifest; and that was why he was returning to the PDP.

2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV: