Former Bauchi State governor, Mallam Isah Yuguda and his supporters have left the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This was disclosed by members of a group of the former governor’s loyalists, Yuguda Alheri Group at a press conference in Bauchi on Thursday.
Addressing the press conference, Yuguda’s former Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Community Relations , Salisu Ahmed Barau disclosed that the former Governor joined the APC in order to contribute to the development of the state.
According to him, with their declaration, the former governor has formally dumped the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) and joined the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Barau added that Yuguda moved to the APC along with all his supporters across the country under the Yuguda Alheri Group.
The former commissioner further informed that over 500,000 people have registered their support for the move since the former governor joined the APC adding that they are targeting one million voters for the APC.
He however informed that Yuguda left the GPN but out of his volition after consultation with all his supporters across the country while some of his supporters and former aides are still in the GPN and other political parties.
“immediately he left office in 2015, Isa Yuguda announced his decision to leave the PDP, he set up different committees for consultations after which the decision was arrived for him to join the GPN and even went ahead to contest under the party. When it was yet another time for him to leave, he consulted us and we decided to join the APC,” he said.
He however dismissed insinuations that Yuguda helped in the emergence of the present Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar in 2015 while he was the outgoing PDP governor in the state.
“There is no truth in those insinuations. How can Isa Yuguda who was in the PDP then and had a candidate whom he supported be instrumental to the emergence of another person as candidate in another party?,” he queried.
The former governor’s spokesperson also dismissed the rumours going round that the former governor joined the APC to undermine its chance or cause confusion.
He said that Yuguda joined the APC to help the party win elections in 2019, ensure good governance, peaceful coexistence and delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.
He promised that the former Governor will help the APC achieve victory at all levels in the 2019 general elections and called on all the supporters of the former Governor to remain loyal and committed to the APC and avoid confrontation with other members of the party or other parties.
Speculations about Yuguda joining the APC had been on for months but the former governor remained in the GPN until after it conducted its primaries and have its candidates for various offices including governorship, senate, House of Representatives and other elective offices for the 2019.
DAILY TRUST
