Massive Defection Looms: Bwacha Dangling Millions Before State PDP Lawmakers, Negotiating Automatic Tickets With APC

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha who yesterday officially announced his defection from the People's Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress APC is offering PDP members huge amount of money to join him in the APC, Taraba Truth and Facts exclusively gathered.

Bwacha who until his defection was Senate Deputy Minority Leader, said he dumped the PDP for the APC to escape what he describes as the persecution of the Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku.

Shortly after his defection from the main opposition party, Bwacha, who represents Taraba South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.

Taraba Truth and Facts gathered that four PDP members in the state House of Assembly would announce their defection to APC in coming days, however Bwacha is also negotiating that all PDP state lawmakers who dump their party for APC should be considered for an automatic ticket for joining the party.

Taraba Truth and Fact however gathered that member representing Karim 1 Constituency Hon Charles Maijankia has refused to quit the PDP alongside side some aggrieved lawmakers.

Another source said "part of what Bwacha promised the APC leadership was that he would defect with all the aggrieved PDP state lawmakers to the APC, he is working hard to ensure many PDP lawmakers and stakeholders in the state joined him in the APC

 

The sources said Bwacha through a former speaker of the Assembly have started reaching out to other lawmakers, commissioners and other Appointees of Governor Ishaku to join him in the APC and form a common front ahead of the 2023 election.

 "Some lawmakers who are worried the Governor might not support their re-election are already considering the option of joining APC, moreso Bwacha is offering them Millions, he intend to get the majority of the State House of Assembly members. Many of the lawmakers are consulting with their people, many lawmakers whom are believe to be on the side of the Governor are considering Bwacha option because Governor Ishaku's body language has not shown his political direction.   

 "Bwacha is also offering some appointees between N500,000 and a Million to resign from the Ishaku's administration, the Bwacha team have several readymade resignation letters for different categories of appointees to embarrasses Governor Ishaku and the State PDP," the source said.

 Bwacha however speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today in Abuja, the lawmaker alleged there is a deliberate isolation from the governor.

He, however, explained that the dispute between himself and the Governor Ishaku was not from his party.

 "It is about an environment where you are not being persecuted, where you are given a latitude to operate, a free playing ground," Bwacha said in response to why he exited the PDP.

"My people are not in support of such persecution, they see me going through persecution that is unnecessary," he noted.

"If you are staying in an environment where you will not survive, if you remain there, you are doing it at your own peril and I would not be part of such danger, I won't endanger my political future in an environment where I am not guaranteed a clear future."

 According to the lawmaker, Ishaku did all he could to ensure he didn't return to the Senate in 2019, alleging further that the governor has also been against his political progress.

While noting that his defection is not about winning an election, Bwacha faulted his state governor for giving a condition for them to reconcile one based on his dropping any political ambition.

 He added, "I have not made public declaration about becoming a governor but there have been innuendos, and insinuations. People have also been putting pressure on me to run for governor. And I overheard someone say that the only condition for me to sit with him (Ishaku) is if I would drop my gubernatorial ambition.

"I actually cannot point out exactly what is his (Ishaku's) problem with me," he said, adding that the governor barred public officials from attending his constituency projects and his other political activities.

"We (Ishaku and I) worked together in 2015 but in 2019, suddenly this hate came. I tried to speak to him about issues but it had always earned me hate. I tried to see him at a point but he shut the door at me," the Senator said, adding that past and present leadership of the PDP didn't help reconciliatory efforts.