5 stunts your favorite politicians have pulled in a season of defections

We run the rule on a few of those….

1. Gov Ortom and his rented youths

On the morning of July 25, 2018, Benue Governor Samuel Ortom was suddenly photographed surrounded by some very 'angry youths' who were stopping him from attending a peace meeting with the APC leadership in Abuja.

These angry youths wanted Ortom out of the APC.

Recall that before these youths ‘laid siege’ on the governor’s convoy, Ortom had been openly flirting with the PDP and it was already public knowledge that he was going to defect sooner than later.

However, it wouldn’t be a Nigerian defection if it isn’t dramatic.

According to a : A leader of the protesting youths, Dave Ogbole, said, "If the governor insists on travelling to Abuja for the APC meeting, he will risk losing the support of the people."

“The governor's pleas to be allowed to attend the meeting and protect the interest of the people of the state fell on deaf ears and he was forced to make a U-turn and return to the Government House”.

To cut a long story short, Ortom returned to government house and announced his defection to the PDP at noon.

Of course the protesting youths made him do it!

2. Kwara Gov blames stakeholders for his defection

On July 26, Kwara Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed announced that stakeholders were urging him to dump the APC.

"Stakeholders are insisting that I quit the APC for falling short of their aspirations which include failure to address insecurity, economy and unemployment challenges as well as unbearable injustice within the party”, Ahmed said.

On July 31, Gov Ahmed acceded to the request of these stakeholders by dumping the APC for the PDP.

Powerful stakeholders, you’ve got to say.

3. Dino Melaye spends 11 hours on a tree in the wilderness

On July 26, Senator Ben Murray Bruce tweeted that his colleague, Dino Melaye, had been kidnapped.

Bruce said the news of Melaye’s kidnap had been relayed to him by the senator’s brother.

While we all waited for the police to make a proclamation on the kidnap and swing into rescue action, Melaye showed up the next day with one tale good enough for a blockbuster movie script.

According to the senator, it wasn’t really a kidnap. He outwitted and outran his assailants and then found himself in a forest and made for a tree. It was on that tree that he perched for 11 hours before finding his way back to civilization, Melaye shared.

"I thank God once again for escaping another dangerous attack. I also thank Nigerians for their prayers and show of Love. Spent 11 hours in the wilderness traumatized but God preserved me. God is the best and in whom only I trust”, Melaye wrote on his twitter page.

Till this day, no one else has corroborated Melaye’s tale, not even his brother who was reportedly driving behind him when the 'assailants swooped'.

The police has also not briefed the nation on its plans to arrest these attackers who pounced on the senator just hours before his court appearance for charges borderingon criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, political thuggery and other violent crimes in Kogi state.

4. Saraki gets all of Kwara to defect with him

On the day Saraki defected, the Kwara State Governor who is a loyalist of the senate president, also announced his defection.

APC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi who everyone knew would leave with Saraki, initially denied he was leaving. Hours later, he was gone as well.

On August 2, 2018, from the APC to the PDP, capping a fine week for Saraki.

The senate president wanted to leave big and he sure got his wish by packing all elected office holders in his home State of Kwara with him.

Class act.

5. Wamakko taunts Tambuwal with crowd

It was a show of who can pack the biggest crowd in Sokoto last weekend.

After Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal announced his defection to the PDP, Senator Aliyu Wamakkowanted to prove that Sokoto still belongs to the APC, so he embarked on a triumphal entry into Sokoto.

Tambuwal’s crowd on the day he announced his defection, was a mammoth one, make no mistake. So Wamakko told everyone who cared to listen to watch out for his own crowd on Saturday, August 4.

We did and we were completely blown away.

These politicians have got no chill.