…as Shaibu insists Edo must move forward
A former Edo State Commissioner for Budget and Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Etsako West Local Government, Haija Mariam Abubakar, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Haija Mariam Abubakar announced her defection, Tuesday shortly after a meeting with Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemhi and other stakeholders, at the Government House, Benin City.
According to her, she left APC due to a lack of quality leadership. “I announce my defection to the PDP together with my women across Edo North and Edo State in general”.
Welcoming Haija Mariam Abubakar into the PDP, Shaibu described her defection as a welcome development for the PDP, while assuring the State Chairman and other stakeholders that more defectors were coming to join the PDP from APC in the coming days.
“I am very happy to welcome you into the PDP. We must continue to move forward. The good news is that God is bringing all the progressive-minded individuals together to chart a new political paradigm shift for Edo; a new vision for our nation Nigeria, to move forward”.
“Edo can not go back to where it was. It must be forward ever and backwards never”.
“Our people have come to understand the position of government in governance. They have also realized that they can get whatever they want with their PVC”.
“We fought for democracy because we wanted to be in charge of our collective resources. If we must hire anybody to manage the resources, such a person must be ready to do the will of the majority, otherwise, we’ll force him out with our PVC”.
“We must not be allowed to be deceived with their campaign of consolidating the APC administration of poverty, corruption, inflation, insecurity and many other societal menaces. Enough is enough,” Shaibu added.
He called on PDP stakeholders, members and supporters in the State to embrace the party’s progressive vision, peace and stability, for total victory at the February 25 general elections.
In the words of Haija Mariam Abubakar, “Today my heart is free and filled with joy because I have left the bondage called APC. My heart was never been there, but I was there because they said, ‘na there we dey go’. I thank God I was able to fight and come out of the bondage”.
“Special thanks to the Deputy Governor who proved to be a father, a mentor, a leader and a motivator at all times”.
“I’m so happy to come back to the family that bound us together as one. I am back together with my father, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt.Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu”.
“I am not coming to PDP to insult anybody; I came to discuss issues with those APC who think Nigeria belongs to them. This campaign is going to be issues-based and not insults. We’re ready to give it to them”, she added.
Receiving Haija Mariam Abubakar, the State PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemhi, said winning Edo North in 2023 was a task the PDP must be accomplished.
He affirmed that in actualising that vision, the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has taken it personally with the recent heavyweight defection from the APC to PDP, while drafting his wife, Comrade Mrs. Maryann Philip-Shaibu, who has been galvanizing the whole Edo North populace to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“I’m not surprised that having put so many efforts into play by the Deputy Governor and his wife, so many persons have been joining our party. I’m sure that is the attraction Haija Mariam had that made her decide to join the PDP”.
“The party acknowledges all what the Deputy Governor has been doing to bring all the big fishes into our party”, the State Chairman said.