From Umar Dankano, Yola.
A stalwart of All Progressives Congress, APC, and founding member of the party in Adamawa state, Dr.Salihu Bakari Girei has berated the opposition parties for accusing President Bola Tinubu of being a brain behind massive defections from other parties to the ruling APC.
Recall that recently, the media space was dominated with allegations and counter-allegation by the opposition especially the People’s Democratic party, PDP and the African Democratic party, ADC that, President Bola Tinubu’s led administration is making the country to becoming a one party state due to gale of defections in to ruling APC.
Bakari Girei who has an interest to contesting the governorship seat in the forthcoming 2027 general elections mad e his position known during an interview with few select journalists in Yola at the weekend insisting that, those with such notion are afraid of the current realities of changing the political fortune for the country courtesy of president Bola Tinubu’s style of governance.
Girei reminded those class of politicians that, President Tinubu has always sustai n and develop opposition since his days as Lagos state governor stressing that he believes in multi-party democracy.
“Mr President can’t stop any one joining the APC if he or she desires because that is the beauty of democracy,it gives freedom of choice.
“If his Minister can still publicize to belong to another political party under his administration then that enough show us who the president is meaning everyone is free to join any party of his choice.
“For us in the party, those who join today and those who started the party in 2013 or 2014 as well as those who will join tomorrow, we are all equal as faithful members of the party”. Girei reiterated.
He also praised the National Assembly on the of election results transmission saga attesting that as Nigerians who witnessed several elections conducted by INEC through same process, there are always hitches as humans.
He stated that, the law should be realistic and is what informed the amendment by the legislators explaining that the spirit of reality on ground must be considered as even the lawmakers are all going back home for elections themselves and they are not INEC.
“If you enact a law that is implementable, we are fools.The national Assembly has acted in good conscience and in the spirit of reality on ground and don’t forget they are all going back for election themselves and they are not INEC.
“So lets us support INEC ,let everyone of us ensure that the right thing is done as the saying goes ‘Change begins with me’ with a view make the system works perfectly for us as a people”.Girei added.
He acknowledged that the amendment will address money bags politics with the elimination of indirect method of party primaries lamenting that the issue of this delegates for the primary election and unresolved difference caused APC party to loose Adamawa for PDP in 2015 gove orship election.
“National Assembly did very well to reduce the influence of money politics to ensure that every individual irrespective of his pocket size, provided you have vision and people, you can sale yourself. You can contest and win elections, that is democracy.l am more than happy”. Girei said
Bakari Girei welcomed Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in to the APC saying that his coming was home coming and a good omen for the party in the state.
He maintained that, Fintiri’s decision was timely so that they can put heads together in provision of the devidends of democracy to the citizens in the Agrarian and resource rich-state.
Girei is a seasoned educationist and founding member of the APC in Adamawa state who has shown his interest to contribute his quota in moving the state (Adamawa) to the next level of development as governorship hopeful in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
