Why Bukola Saraki, Dogara opted to remain in APC

The president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara respectively, have decided to remain in the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a reason.

The duo refused to join their defecting colleagues on Tuesday, July 24, despite reportedly being among members of the ruling party who had recently had grievances.

Daily Trust reports that all the lawmakers from Kwara state and a few loyalists to Dogara from Bauchi moved into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

However, the report claims Saraki and Dogara are delaying their movements to create a bigger impact on the troubled party.

“For now, Saraki and Dogara are closely watching how the events of yesterday would be responded to by the Presidency, other power brokers and Nigerians.

"However, I want to assure you that many PDP legislators would defect to APC soon.

“But one thing is certain, the two principal officers are already out of the APC, I can assure you that in the coming days, they would move to the PDP alongside some governors, more senators and Rep members just the way we would receive some, so it is not yet over,” the report quoted a source as saying.

The source added that right now, it was certain that Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) would defect to the PDP.

The same source reportedly expressed doubts on where Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) stands.

“If you remember, some APC governors led by Abdulaziz Yari and Kashim Shettima had met with Tambuwal in Sokoto.

“They actually cautioned him against moving to the PDP because he would not get what he wants, which is the presidential ticket; I think he agreed,” he said.

The report quoted another source as saying there was a huge difference between the defections of nPDP in 2015 and what happened on Tuesday, July 24.

“All those that defected yesterday were much stronger and influential politically in 2015. With the exception of Saraki, many of them have lost out in their states,” the source said.

It also quoted someone in the PDP as speaking on phone and saying the two leaders would leave soon.

“It won’t be long at all. Saraki and Dogara are principal officers in the National ‎Assembly so they don’t want to rock the boat yet. The two officers are like shepherd.

“They can’t stay behind when the flock is gone. So the defection is going to be holistic; they are already half-way into the PDP, there is no two ways about it,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his total commitment to the values of democracy, freedom of choice as well as total willingness to work with all members of the National Assembly, irrespective of their political party, for the benefit of the nation.