Gladys Nweke
A group of ex-militants who were hitherto loyal to the President Muhammadu Buhari -led All Progressives Congress, APC administration has applauded the courage of 15 former APC lawmakers in the National Assembly who decamped to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Tuesday in a no-hold-bar move ‘ during the plenaries on both chambers of the NASS.
Speaking under the aegis of the Niger Delta Mandators, NDM, the group led by Jerome Akpobore, in Portharcourt, the Rivers State capital after a brainstorming session by leaders of the group in a statement issued and signed by him, said the group was happy to see the mass exodus of the lawmakers from a party he described as barren and worthless.
Mandators stated that the President Buhari-led APC was deceptive and dishonest saying, it relish a use and dump political style noting that that was the reason for the exit in droves of the lawmakers.
Akpobore who is the group’s national Coordinator and was an avowed supporter of the President said it has withdrawn it’s support for the APC since it wasn’t able to arrange a better relationship with Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso-led group.
According NDM, former governor Kwankwanso was jilted by the broom party after using him to achieve success in the 2015 poll adding that he was made to stand against his original party – the PDP to achieve victory.
The group noted that it will float and sink with Kwankwanso wherever he goes as it called on the PDP to give it’s ticket to the former governor if it’s serious about capturing power at the centre in 2019.
Of all the aspirants coming up in the PDP, the Mandators stressed that only Senator Kwankwanso has the unblemished credentials to not only fly the ticket of the umbrella party but emerge victorious at the polls
The Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, the group noted is a political liability to the APC and the administration adding that the former governor who couldn’t deliver his state to his party as a sitting governor won’t contribute anything at the poll in 2019 from the Niger Delta, describing him as the APC’s death knell.
Akpobore stated that in the run up to the 2015 election, Amaechi deceived the leadership of the group to roll out its arsenal in aggressive campaign for the presidential candidate of the APC – General Buhari which he said the group did with clinical efficiency.
“We declared and went into campaign for Buhari relying on the promise by Amaechi to bankroll our activities only to realise later that he was only using us as his slaves.
” Till date, Amaechi after that election doesn’t pick the calls by our leadership. To him, it is winner takes all.
” In Kwankwanso we have a detribalised leader who’s versatile in leadership, he’s not crude neither is he given to clannishness.
“As statesman per excellence, the lawmaker is a pan Nigerian nationalist and that’s why we have resolved to follow him.
” We call on all Nigerians particularly the Niger Deltans to rise and vote against deception, liars, dishonesty, poverty, despondency. ..in 2019.
” APC as represented by Amaechi in the Delta region represent perfidy and dishonesty which is why we are following the man who is willing to develop our region without let or hindrance”…Akpobore stated as he called on Senator Kwankwanso to declare his intention now.
 lawmakers in the National Assembly, who defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking){kind=link}