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Defections: Bamidele Absolves Tinubu of coercing defectors to join APC

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele
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…Says APC Building Govt of National Unity

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele on Tuesday justified the defection of all federal lawmakers from Kebbi State to the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that the ruling party “is now running a government of national unity.”

Bamidele, currently representing Ekiti Central in the upper chamber, noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not coerce any member of the opposition political parties to defect to the APC contrary to public criticism.

He made this clarification at the Senate Chamber, National Assembly Complex, Abuja on Tuesday when all federal lawmakers from Kebbi State formally announced their defection to the APC.

The formal announcement was witnessed by the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Nasir Idris and APC National Organizing Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Argungu, among others.

Senator Adamu Aliero, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Senator Garba Maidoki and all members of the House of Representatives had at the weekend informed President Tinubu of their decision to join the ruling party at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Consequently, all the federal lawmakers from the Northwest state formally announced their defection from the PDP to the APC at the Senate Chamber, Abuja yesterday in the presence of the party’s key national leaders.

After their announcement on Tuesday, Bamidele defended the defection of the federal lawmakers to the APC, noting that their decision was based on the overriding public interest and had nothing to do with turning Nigeria into a one-party state.

He, thus, noted that the ruling party “will not close our doors to anyone intending to join the party. 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.

“In the meantime, we will continue to work with the members of the minority political parties. It is not by sheer coincidence that virtually all political parties from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the Peoples Democratic Party have to join the ruling APC.

“Even APGA, which has not joined the ruling party, has also graciously nominated and donated a 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,” he said.

Bamidele specifically commended the defectors for their decision to join the ruling APC while reflecting on how the PDP was coercing members of the opposition parties to defect to its fold when it was in government at the federal level.

He said: “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. 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 will defect to APC without clear conviction. They are not all in politics so that they can feed themselves and families.

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

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

“I say it again for the umpteenth time. Those who refer to this parliament as a rubber stamp parliament should note that we are at a very critical stage of our national life when all hands must be on deck.

“Today, it is not about which political party you belong to. Once you are in this hallowed chamber, it does not matter which political party you belong to. What matters to us all is the overriding public interest. In the course of collectively serving overriding public interests, three of our colleagues saw the need to cross to the ruling APC.’’

 

 

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Ekiti APC Primary: Akinlayo Davidson Dismisses Thuggery Allegation

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The member representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II in the House of Representatives, Akinlayo Kolawole Davidson, has dismissed allegations linking him to the sponsorship of thugs to disrupt the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Ekiti State.

 

In a statement issued on Thursday, the lawmaker described the allegation as “malicious, baseless and misleading,” accusing political opponents of attempting to tarnish his reputation ahead of the party’s primary election.

 

According to the statement, Hon. Davidson remains committed to peaceful and credible democratic processes and has never encouraged or financed violence in any form.

 

The lawmaker stressed that he is a loyal member of the APC who has consistently advocated transparent and violence-free elections within the party and beyond.

 

He further stated that he remains the only aspirant in Ekiti North Federal Constituency II to have campaigned across all the 32 wards in the constituency, where he engaged directly with party members and stakeholders on issues affecting development, unity and progress.

 

The statement added that his grassroots support and acceptance across the constituency make any resort to violence unnecessary and contrary to his political beliefs.

 

Hon. Davidson also denied any connection with individuals allegedly arrested over acts of thuggery, insisting that they are not members of his campaign structure.

 

The statement claimed that available information indicated that the suspects were non-state actors allegedly working with and on the payroll of the state government, adding that attempts to link them to the lawmaker were deliberate efforts to mislead party members and the public.

 

While calling on party supporters to disregard the allegation, the federal lawmaker urged security agencies to remain vigilant and investigate individuals spreading falsehood capable of creating tension within the APC.

 

He reaffirmed his commitment to peace, party unity and the continued development of Ekiti North Federal Constituency II and Ekiti State at large.

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City Boy Movement Calls for Peace Ahead of APC Primaries in Ekiti

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The City Boy Movement has appealed to aspirants, party leaders and supporters participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) National and State Assembly primary elections in Ekiti State to embrace peace and shun violence during the exercise.

 

 

In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Friday by the Director of Media and Communications of the movement, Alofe Ayodele Moses, the group urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves with restraint and maturity as the primaries commence.

 

 

The movement stressed the need to preserve the peaceful atmosphere currently being enjoyed in the state under the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, noting that no political ambition should lead to bloodshed or crisis within the party.

 

 

According to the statement, the APC was founded on the principles of justice and equity, expressing confidence in the party leadership to conduct a fair, transparent and credible primary election.

 

 

The group stated that democracy thrives on healthy competition rather than intimidation, violence or desperation, adding that all aspirants and their supporters should place the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions.

 

 

The City Boy Movement also urged contestants and their supporters to peacefully accept the outcome of the primaries and avoid actions capable of overheating the political atmosphere in the state.

 

 

 

It further called on security agencies and party officials to remain proactive and impartial in maintaining law and order before, during and after the exercise.

 

 

 

The statement added that temporary political differences should not be allowed to divide members of the party, stressing that all stakeholders remain part of the same progressive family despite the contest.

 

 

 

The movement wished all aspirants success in the primaries and expressed optimism that the exercise would strengthen the unity, stability and electoral fortunes of the APC in Ekiti State.

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Ekiti Police, INEC Meet APC Aspirants Ahead of Reps Primaries

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The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Ekiti State has warned aspirants contesting the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries against violence, thuggery and hate speech ahead of the exercise scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2026.

 

The warning was issued during a stakeholders’ meeting held on Thursday at the Police Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, where security agencies and electoral officials met with APC aspirants participating in the primaries.

 

The meeting was attended by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ekiti State and Chairman of ICCES, Bunmi Omoseyindemi, alongside the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police and Co-Chairman of ICCES, Falade Adegoroye Micheal, as well as other members of the committee.

 

Speaking at the meeting, Omoseyindemi said the gathering became necessary to ensure peaceful, free, fair and credible conduct of the primaries. He urged aspirants to avoid acts capable of causing breakdown of law and order before, during and after the election.

 

The REC specifically cautioned politicians against the use of thugs, violence and inflammatory statements, stressing that all stakeholders must work together to sustain peace and democratic stability in the state.

 

Also addressing the aspirants, Commissioner of Police Falade disclosed that security agencies had received intelligence reports indicating that some individuals were allegedly planning to disrupt the primaries.

 

He warned that anyone found engaging in violence or any act capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of the exercise would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

 

Other ICCES members also advised the aspirants to embrace peace and conduct themselves responsibly throughout the electoral process.

 

As part of resolutions reached at the meeting, all aspirants signed an undertaking committing themselves to maintaining peace, political stability and democratic order before, during and after the APC primaries.

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