Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the main opposition party, PDP, following the defection of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the defection of Mr Dogara from the APC to the PDP. Mr Dogara, who was elected speaker on the APC platform in 2015, defected to the PDP in 2018. He met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday afternoon during which the president reportedly expressed satisfaction with his latest defection.

The Yobe State Governor, Mala Buni, who led Mr Dogara to the meeting with the president, later told journalists that the defection was part of efforts by the APC to woo its members who defected to the PDP in the build up to the 2019 general election.

Sinking ship

In its reaction, the APC said Mr Dogara’s exit was the beginning of “impending mass defections set to hit the failed opposition party.”

Describing the PDP as a “rudderless and sinking ship,” the APC spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, also mocked the PDP’s 16 years in power. He said the PDP has also failed as an opposition party.

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“Nigeria deserves a vibrant, purposeful and credible opposition not the laughing stock we have been subjected to in the name of the opposition PDP. It is well within the rights of PDP members to abandon a rudderless and sinking ship for the progressive fold. Going by the popular axiom: Why fly like a hen when you can soar like an Eagle?” Mr Nabena noted in a statement on Friday evening.

Amidst the worsening security situation across Nigeria and allegations of corruption against serving public officials, Mr Nabena said President Buhari is “already delivering on key electoral promises of securing the nation, fighting corruption and improving the economy and livelihoods.”