*Accuses Gov. Fintiri of chasing him out of PDP
By Ignatius Okorocha and Myke Uzendu
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was depleted further in ranks on Wednesday, when it lost yet another member, Senator Ishaku Abbo, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)
Senator Abbo’s defection came barely one week after Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi, had also defected to the ruling party
Senator Abbo, who is said to be a political son to the PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in 2019 to representing Adamawa North Senatorial District
Abbo, who declared his defection to the APC in a letter he wrote to the Senate, which was read by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said that he decided to dump the PDP because of the crisis in the opposition party in his state.
This was as he disclosed to journalists that he was chased out of PDP by his governor, adding that he defected to the APC in order to out-stage Governor Umaru Fintiri and take over his seat as the governor of Adamawa State in 2023.
He further claimed that his decision to dump the PDP was as a result of the mismanagement of the Party by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, which according to him led to crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarization of the PDP in Adamawa.
The letter read: “I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the crisis in the party that in turn led to the polarization of the party in the state.
“Today I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhamadu Buhari to build the Nigeria of our dreams.
“There is crisis in my party in my State; that is the truth. You all know that political party is the foundation of political processes. And once you get it wrong with a political party, you have problems. I believe internal democracy within the PDP in Adamawa has suffered in the last one year since the Governor assumed office.”.
On the call by the PDP that he resign and vacate his seat in the Senate, Abbo challenged them on why they did not ask the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, to resign, after he defected to the APC last week
Reacting, the PDP in a statement endorsed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan, said it was not bothered by the decision of Senator Abbo to vacate the “hallowed chamber of the Senate.”
The statement reads: “He is fully aware of the constitutional implication of his decision to defect to another party; which is that he cannot continue to occupy the seat of the PDP in the Senate.
“Our party had already commenced processes for his replacement with a credible, stable and acceptable person, to take over his seat in the Senate.”
With Sen. Abbo’s exit from the PDP, the APC has increased its number in the senate to 60, the PDP dropped to 42. The Young Progressives Party (YPP) retains its lone membership in the Red Chamber with Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (Anambra South), while four seats are yet to be filled by INEC
