Niger State Deputy Governor, Ibeto, Dozens Defect To APC

BEVERLY HILLS, January 19, (THEWILL) – The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, alongside dozens of serving political appointees in the state government, as well as some members of the National Assembly Monday formally defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Announcing their defection in Minna, the Niger State capital, a few hours before the rally hosted by the APC for its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and deputy, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Ibeto attributed their defection to the “injustice in the PDP… and …the flawed electoral process that threw up Alhaji Umar Nasko as PDP governorship candidate” saying the party's primary was not conducted in accordance with the party's constitution.

Ibeto was a governorship aspirant under the PDP but failed to clinch the party's nomination following Governor Babangida Muazu Aliyu's preference for his former Chief of Staff, Umar Mohammed Nasko.

“Myself and other aggrieved party members decided to petition the National Headquarters of the party on the outcome of the governorship primary with a view to addressing the obvious injustice but met a brick wall, hence we decided to join the APC,” he said.

Ibeto and other decampees were introduced to thousands of party members and supporters at the campaign rally.

Nigeria's general elections starts on February 14 and ends on February 28, 2015.