Defections To APC: Politicians Looking For Sanctuary Where ‘Sins’ Are Forgiven, Says Ologbondiyan

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, has blamed the ongoing defections of opposition leaders to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on threats of a witch-hunt by the ruling party.

He, also, noted that the detecting politicians were looking for sanctuaries where they would not be investigated for their corrupt practices by joining the APC.

Recently, the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, along with his predecessors Ifeanyi Okowa and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, alongside several commissioners, among others, defected from the PDP to the APC, even as there are growing speculation that more governors would soon follow suit

However, speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Ologbondiyan noted that the governors and other opposition leaders defecting to the APC were merely seeking refuge to avoid being hounded by the ruling party.

His words, “You must not forget that the former National Chairman of APC told Nigerians that just come over here, we will forgive all your sins, so people are looking for where sins are forgiven.

“But you know one thing, at the end of it all, it is going to be about the Nigerians’ position. 

“You may pack all the 36 governors and put them in one boardroom and say they should declare for you. Have you packed the over 200 million Nigerians into the same boardroom? The answer is no.”  

Ologbondiyan further maintained that no matter how many opposition leaders the APC manages to attract, the party would still have to contend with millions of Nigerians in its bid to retain power in 2027.

But in a swift reaction, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka urged the PDP not to blame the ruling APC over its internal crisis.

Responding to Ologbondiyan's claims on the same programme, Morka said, "You can’t blame us for your dysfunction," describing PDP's claims as misplaced.

“First of all, I am sure that my brother (Kola Ologbondiyan) does not mean a whole lot what he said because he can’t possibly under any guise be blaming the APC for the utter dysfunction and immobility within the internal ranks of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party,” Morka added. 

Morka further noted that the PDP cannot be blaming the APC for its predicament when the party doesn’t even have a settled national chairman and secretary, adding that a party like the PDP, which he stressed cannot even resolve issues surrounding its chairmanship and secretary, cannot be trusted to lead the country.