30 senators, 60 reps to join R-APC soon

30 senators, 60 reps to join R-APC soon

- No fewer than 30 senators and 60 members of the House of Representatives may be defecting from the APC to the R-APC soon

- Their next destination across the country may be the PDP, if the leadership of the umbrella party fulfill the conditions given

- A source also said that the R-APC has lined up a number of surprises for the ruling APC

The newly launched Reformed All Progressives Congress(R-APC) has reportedly secured the buy-in of 30 senators and 60 members of the House of Representatives.

Nigerian Tribune reports that members of the R-APC have kick-started moves aimed at ensuring their defection to the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a matter of weeks.

According to report, all the processes leading to the mass defection will be concluded a week before lawmakers embark on their annual recess on July 21.

A source declared that with the crisis that has engulfed the APC, the lawmakers would have satisfied the constitutional requirement in Section 68(1,g) which indicates that a lawmaker can only defect from his party if there is division within the party that brought him to the chamber.

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Sources close to the party claim that Senate president Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara are leading the defecting team of lawmakers which could switch the majority outlook in the two chambers.

Senators and Rep members in almost all the states, including those from Kano, Adamawa, Sokoto, OyoKwara, Kogi, Kaduna, Bauchi and Benue states, are reportedly among those leaving the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The R-APC, which is a fusion of new PDP (n-PDP) block within the APC and other aggrieved leaders who feel they are being marginalised, last week formally broke away from the APC. It was gathered that their next destination across the country may be the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if the leadership of the umbrella party fulfill the conditions given by the intending joiners and returnees.

It was gathered that part of the condition given is that the PDP should change its name, a condition PDP leaders were said to be warmly amenable to.

A reliable source said that the name change may be an alteration of part of the current name of the PDP and may not involve a wholesale name change.

With the launch of the R-APC, a lot of interesting things will happen in the National Assembly. We have decided that with this resumption this time, we are going to make enough statements that will shake the polity and then go on the annual recess. But I can assure you that before the recess, the gale of defection will have been concluded,” a source, who is a lawmaker, said.

Senate president Bukola Saraki’s win at the Supreme Court is said to have further emboldened the R-APC members, who supported him throughout the ordeal.

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It took this government 1,018 days to prosecute Saraki on what has been seen an initial as a merry go round. It was purely a political step that is bound to boomerang. Everyone knows that Saraki played critical roles in ensuring the victory of APC against his old party the PDP in 2015.

“It should not be too much to concede the Senate presidency to such a group like the nPDP, which proved its worth through valuable contributions to the 2015 campaign.

“Now we have seen that we are not wanted in this party. They have constituted their executive without recourse to the complaints to the nPDP. It is clear that they have also sidelined the Senate president and Speaker Dogara in the running of the affairs of the party.

“At National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, the duo of Senate president and speaker are reduced to spectators. Nothing like consultation. Nothing to show we are working together. It is very clear that one day we will have to retrace our steps and reunite with the people that want to work with us,” another source stated.

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According to the source, the battle against Saraki has been from day one of his Senate presidency. The source added that Saraki was not welcomed to the presidential villa until four months after his emergence.

A source also said that the R-APC has also lined up a number of surprises for the APC and that during this week a key development will unfold.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the national chairman of the newly formed Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), Buba Galadima, said the party has more shockers in stock that will surprise the ruling party and destabilse the Muhammadu Buhari's administration.

Galadima, who was once the leader of The Buhari Organisation (TBO) and helped the president ran a successful campaign in 2015, said other governors, other top politicians will soon leave the ruling party and join R-APC.

APC Official Tells Why His Party Could Be Voted Out in 2019 on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng

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