The breakaway faction of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) got a major boost yesterday as102 members of the party in the House of Representatives out of a total of 307 and 26 senators out of a total of 100 PDP senators declared their support for it in the past two days.
The 102 reps, which include the son of former President Shehu Shagari, Aminu and the former Chairman, House Committee on Education, Alhaji Farouk Lawan put out a statement in Abuja yesterday, where they declared support for the Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led New PDP.
Although the statement, which was issued by Ali-Ahmed from Kwara State did not contain the federal constituency of signatories, it was evident that most of them come from the seven states where the aggrieved PDP governors hail from.
The statement read, “We, the members of the House of Representatives under the platform of the New PDP, hereby congratulate our leaders on the emergence of the new party:
“Although a sizeable number of our members who could not append their signatures because of their unavailability in the country will do so immediately on arrival, we the under signed salute and appreciate the courage, sacrifice and resilience and patriotism of our leaders namely: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar GCON, and the Governors of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Aliyu Wamakko, (Sokoto); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Abdul Fattah Ahmed (Kwara); and Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), and other well-meaning and eminent Nigerians for leading the way for the emergence of the New PDP.
The lawmakers also condemned alleged attempts by “some agents of the Federal Government to use state apparatus to persecute their leaders.
“As members of the House of Representatives, we call on the security agencies and other anti-graft bodies to be professional in their activities and not allow themselves be used by anybody no matter how highly placed for their political ambitions. Remember how you want history to judge your tenures.
“We won’t hesitate however to use all instruments of law within our powers as provided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to stop this and bring anybody found wanting to book.
“We wish to state that by this statement, we pledge our loyalty and support to the New PDP under the able chairmanship of Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, the Deputy Chairman, Dr Sam Sam Jaja, National secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinola and other members of the National Executive Committee.
“We congratulate them and wish them the very best as they steer the affairs of our party to provide level playing-field for all Nigerians.”
57 of the 102 reps signed the letter, namely: Hon. Abdullahi Balarabe, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, Hon. Ali Ahmad, Hon. Abdullahi Muhammad Wamako, Hon. Abdullahi Muhammed Rico, Hon. Abdulmalik Usman Cheche, Hon. Adamu Bashir, Hon. Ahman-Patigi Aliyu, Hon. Ahmed Zerewa, Hon. Aishatu Ahmed Binani, Hon. Aiyedun Akeem Olayinka, Hon. Alhassan Ado Garba, Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Hon. Aliyu Shehu, Hon. Aminu Shagari, Hon. Aminu Sulyman, Hon. Aminu Tukur, Hon. Andrew Uchendu, Hon. Asita Honourable, Hon. Bashir Baballe, Hon. Blessing Nsiegbe, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, Hon. Dawari George and Hon. Faruq Muhammed Lawan. Others include Hon. Gibson Nathaniel, Hon. Gogo Bright Tamunu, Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro, Hon. Hassan Adamu, Hon. Hussain Namadi, Hon. Ibrahim Ebbo, Hon. Ibrahim Tijjani Kivawa, Hon. Issa Bashir, Hon. Kabiru Achida, Hon. Khabeeb Mustapha, Hon. Maurice Pronen, Hon.Mohammed Sabo, Hon. Mpigi Barinada, Hon. Muhammad Ahmed Mukhtar, Hon. Muhammad Ibrahim, Hon. Muhammad Sani Kutigi, Hon. Mukhtari Muhammad, Hon. Musa Ado and Hon. Musa Sarkin-Adar,
The remaining lawmakers are Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki, Hon. Mustapha Mashood, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, Hon. Rafiu Ibrahim, Hon. Sa’ad Nabunkari, Hon. Sani Muhammed Aliyu, Hon. Shuaibu Gobir, Hon. Sokonte Davies, Hon. Sufiyanu Ubale, Hon. Umar Bature, Hon. Usman Wada, Hon. Yusuph Dunari Sule, Hon. Yusuph Galambi, and Hon. Zakari Muhammed.
The senators are the Senate Chief Whip, Senator, Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, Kano North; Sen Mohammed Ali Ndume, Borno South; Sen. Ahmad Zannah, Borno Central; Sen Abdulahi Adamu, Nasarawa West; Sen Abdulahi Danladi Sankara, Jigawa North-West; Sen. Abdulaziz Usman, Jigawa North East; Sen Abdulmumini Mohammed Hassan,Jigawa South-West; Sen Umaru Dahiru, Sokoto South; Sen Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, Sokoto North; Sen Muhammad Shaaba Lafiaji, Kwara North; Sen Simeon Sule Ajibola, Kwara South; Sen Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Kwara Central; Sen Magnus Ngei Abe, Rivers South-East; Sen Wilson Asinobi Ake, Rivers West; Sen Danjuma Mohammed Goje, Gombe Central; Sen Saidu Ahmed Alkali, Gombe North; Sen Ahmed Hassan Barata, Adamawa South; Sen Bindowo Umar Mohammed Bindiwo Jibrilla, Adamawa North; Sen Aisha Jummai Alhassan, Taraba North; Sen. Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, Sokoto East; Sen. Bashir Garba Mohammad, Kano Central; Sen. Abdulaziz Usman, Jigawa North-East and Sen. Isa Galaudu, Kebbi North.
Sources say Senators Dahiru Kuta, Niger East and Zainab Kure, Niger South may have thrown their weights behind the Baraje-led PDP as well.
With this new development, the old PDP has had its wide margin of majority reduced sharply, and if the defections continue, it could become a minority party, lacking its two-thirds majority in both houses of the National Assembly.