Gbenga Daniel finally back in the progressive party, dumps PDP for APC
*Says ‘I have been captured by APC’
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The DEFENDER had once reported former Deputy Governor of Ogun State and Ogun East Senator, Ahaji Gbenga Kaka, predicting that a time would come when alignment and realignment will take place in the Nigerian political system and so, progressives in PDP would find their routes back home while the conservatives masquerading as progressives would quit the APC.
The strong man of Ogun State opposition politics for over six years now and former Governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Daniel is believed to have always been a progressive politician from the Alliance for Democracy (AD) days until unresolved misunderstanding made him part ways with his fellow progressives and thereafter became Governor of Ogun State unseating Chief Olusegun Osoba in 2003.
In a statement on Tuesday, the amiable Daniel said he had received so many messages encouraging him to join the ruling party.
The former governor served as campaign manager for Atiku Abubakar, PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.
He apologised to his former party for the late notification.
“Dear friends and colleagues, pardon my short notice in informing you of my route to the APC which as you might have suspected started with my supporting Governor Dapo Abiodun during the last election,” he said.
“I have since experienced an avalanche of encouragement to come on board. However in the last 48 hours things took a dizzying speed with the decision of the APC national chairman to visit me at Asoludero on Wednesday with about three governors.
“While planning for the visit, Governor Abiodun also decided to visit me later today with another set of Governors later today (Tuesday).
“It therefore means that I have finally been ‘captured’. I thought I should quickly brief the house before the news goes viral.”
Immediately after the 2019 polls, Daniel said he had quit partisan politics and denied a claim that he had joined APC.
However, there are reports that he will pick up his APC membership card later on Wednesday.
The DEFENDER had once reported former Deputy Governor of Ogun State and Ogun East Senator, Ahaji Gbenga Kaka, predicting that a time would come when alignment and realignment will take place in the Nigerian political system and so, progressives in PDP would find their routes back home while the conservatives masquerading as progressives would quit the APC.
Is this the scenario that started playing out with Bukola Saraki-led exodus that almost collapsed the governing party and its government ahead of 2019 general elections and now the declaration, for the first time, of PDP politicians who were never members of APC? What is the motiff for this surprise defection of PDP strong members into the APC even with President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘dangerous’ enemy Femi Fani-Kayode now being on the train? These are the questions on the lips of many of which answers can only be provided as events continue to unfold, The DEFENDER reports.
