Gov. Dakingari Denies Defecting To APC

Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State has denied plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress. Dakingari made the denial at an interactive session with journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday. The governor said he had never contemplated leaving the Peoples Democratic Party in spite of the gale of defections to the APC by his party members. He said: “I have never contemplated joining any other political party and those who defected were not true democrats. “Those who deserted the PDP were looking for where to exploit. “I am not a parasite, hence my resolve to remain in PDP.” According to Dakingari, the PDP would win the governorship and state assembly elections in the state in spite of the massive loss it suffered during the March 28 elections. “The PDP would win the governorship and state assembly elections, especially considering that meaningful projects had been executed for the benefit of the people in the past eight years,” he said. Dakingari urged the electorate to vote for tested and trusted candidates who would be accountable to the people. The governor attributed the failure of PDP in the state to win any seat in the National Assembly election, to the “(President-Elect, Muhammadu) Buhari phenomenona.” He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for introducing card reader machines, saying that it had curtailed election rigging. The governor urged people in the state to remain law abiding and peaceful before, during and after the April 11 elections. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Dakingari lost in his bid to represent Kebbi North Senatorial District in the Senate during the last election won by Dr. Mumammad Yahaya of the APC.