By Adeleye Kunle
Fifteen lawmakers elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform have decided to abandon the ruling party.
Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention, the senators have shelved their defection plans, according to Track News.
The legislators have also agreed to work for the party’s victory in the general election in 2023.
If the ruling party wins the presidential election in 2023, the disgruntled lawmakers will be rehabilitated through executive appointments, according to the ruling party.
The reconciliation would see the APC retain its Senate majority while posing no threat to the Senate’s leadership structure.
“With the assurances from President Buhari, some select leaders of the party, and the APC leadership, we have decided to stay in our party and wait for how they will address our grievances,” one of the disgruntled senators told Track News
“All we have is a promise that we will be compensated with Executive appointments if our party wins the election in 2023.” However, no concrete steps have been taken to fulfill this promise.
“The intervention of the President and some credible APC leaders raised our hopes that, following our victory in the general election, our party will walk the walk.”
“So far, only two senators among us have chosen to leave the APC or distance themselves from the party’s electoral activities.”
“The only viable option for us was the PDP,” a senator from Northcentral said, “but the opposition party offered us nothing.” Even when we expected the PDP to give up some legislative seats, it did not.
“In the PDP, we cannot be ball boys.” The PDP’s option has been harmed by the party’s internal crisis since Atiku Abubakar became the party’s presidential candidate.
“I believe most of us believe in Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s candidacy more than Atiku of the PDP.” We are hoping that APC will reward us for our loyalty. We have resolved to work for APC’s electoral success in 2023.”
This article first appeared on Track News.
