Musa Affos (Rhapsodi)


The Taraba State Governor, Arch Darius Ishaku has reacted to the defection of his Cross River State counterpart, Ben Ayade, from PDP to APC, the ruling party.


Ishaku who spoke to newsmen, after a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday , said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors were shocked and embarrassed when they heard the  decision of their Cross River State counterpart, Ben Ayade, to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).


According to the governor, he wondered the reason behind the decision of his Cross River State counterpart, because all his colleagues in the PDP were doing well in their various states. Stressing out that opposition was vital in a viable democracy. Ishaku also dismissed the speculation that other PDP governors would soon dump the PDP for the APC.


“I don’t see that happening and like I said even his own was a shock to some of us. And for Nigeria, we should hope for an opposition. Democracy without an opposition is not a democracy.”


When asked why Ayade dumped the PDP, the governor said:


“I wouldn’t know precisely the governor’s thinking, because all of us are different. But we are greatly shocked and embarrassed that he will suddenly dump the party for APC, because all of us see PDP as an alternative to APC.
“But be that as it may, I believe that any democratic country must have a viable opposition and opposition in itself is good for democracy. If you don’t have an opposition, then the government in power can go astray and so I believe in the vibrant democracy with an opposition.”