APC says Speaker has no electoral value amid rumoured defection to PDP

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the significance of the rumoured defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from the ruling party to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Reports had emerged on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, that the Speaker had picked up the nomination form of the PDP to contest re-election in the 2019 general elections. The report raised eyebrows as the Speaker is yet to officially withdraw his membership of the APC.

His rumoured defection follows the recent wave of defections that hit the APC and saw three state governors and dozens of lawmakers, including Senate President, Bukola Saraki, dump the party with many joining the ranks of the PDP.

In response to Dogara's rumoured defection to the PDP, the APC's acting National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said the party is not surprised as the Speaker has long been suspected to be working with the PDP.

He told Premium Times that the party is unbothered by Dogara's action because he doesn't have any electoral value that'll help them in the 2019 general elections.

He said, "It is not a surprise to us, we already know that he has been working with the PDP. He is not a loss to us. Even if we give him the ticket he would lose on ground. He is not even on ground in the first place.

"Those kinds of people we call them Abuja politicians. He is not a problem as far as I am concerned. Yakubu Dogara has no electoral value in the APC."

Dogara has been representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency of Bauchi State since 2007 and was elected Speaker in 2015.