Atiku, Saraki Declare Position On Returning To APC

The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki have declared that their principals are not thinking of returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Same goes for the camp of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

They also described the APC as a sinking ship that is on a downward journey and not attractive to anybody.

Their declarations follow the recent high profile defection of some politicians including former House of Rep Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade who both returned to the APC.

The APC it will be recalled, in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena on Sunday, noted that its doors were open to receive all former members who left the party and are willing to stage a comeback.

However, the aides of Atiku, Saraki, and former Kano State governor Kwankwaso have disclosed that their bosses are not considering returning to the party.

When contacted yesterday by Daily Trust, Atiku who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Paul Ibe, said there is no truth in certain rumours that Atiku Abubakar is planning to return to APC.

He said his boss will not return to a “sinking ship.”

“It is not true. His Excellency Atiku Abubakar will not return to a sinking ship. All of these shenanigans are to distract Nigerians from its (APC-led government) monumental failures at governance that has left our people poorer to the extent that we are now the poverty capital of the world,” he said.

“Its leadership of the last five years has left our country more insecure and more divided than at any other time. Its policies have made more people jobless and compromised our sovereignty. “Going back to the APC is like willingly opting to go to hell,” he added.

Similarly, an aide of Saraki who spoke under the condition of anonymity said the former Senate President has been abroad with his family and reports linking him with a possible return to the APC is nothing but lies.

“They want to divert people from their party crises and the failure of the Buhari-led administration, hence the diversionary tactics. Dogara has a unique problem with his governor. There is no plan between oga and the former speaker on this defection. The PDP is better than APC. APC is not attractive to anybody now,” he said.

The spokesman of Kwankwaso, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, also said no right-thinking politician will join the APC that is on the verge of disintegration.

“To the best of my knowledge, I’m not aware that they have consulted His Excellency, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Engineer Kwankwaso is a bonafide member of the PDP. More so, how do you expect anybody in his right senses to join APC at this material time?

“APC is on its downward journey, the party is at the state of disintegration, it is suffering from self-inflicted injury and there is nothing they can do now to rectify it. They have destroyed everything and compounded our security problems.

Abdussalam also accused the APC of making Nigerians suffer since it took over power about five years ago.