The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has revealed the reasons why he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
KanyiDaily recalls that Dogara had declined to reveal why he returned to his former party (APC), saying he would speak on the development at a later date.
In a letter of resignation he addressed to the PDP chairman in Bogoro ‘C’ Ward, Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Dogara listed six reasons that informed his decision.
The former speaker revealed that one of the reasons for his exit from the PDP was because of corruption which he described as the breakdown of governance in the state.
He levelled six allegations against the Governor Mohammed Bala-led PDP administration in Bauchi State, including a claim that a N4.6 billion loan that was taken from a bank was paid into a private company’s account.
In the letter entitled “Letter of resignation of my membership of the PDP” made available to newsmen on Sunday, Dogara wrote:
“I write to intimate you of my decision to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“This became necessary because the same reasons why we fought hard in 2019 to effect changes in the Governance of our dear state are festering now.
“I intend to bring these issues to the front burners once again as the fight to install decent and egalitarian government in our dear state continues.
“Specifically, I intend to ask questions about the following:
- What has happened to LGA allocations since May 2019?
- What happened to our campaign promise to conduct LGA elections within six months of the PDP government?
- What happened to the N4.6 billion loan taken from a bank and paid directly into an private company’s account?
- Why are we segmenting salaries and why is payment of salaries of state workers outsourced to a private firm as consultants?
- Why are contracts inflated, awarded and payment of mobilisation done in violation of extant rules on procurement?
- Why are our highly revered Traditional Rulers and Elders treated with odium contrary to the guarantee we gave during the campaign that such will not happen under a PDP government?”
“Mr. Chairman, you will agree with me that I cannot raise these issues and many more questions without a charge of disloyalty levelled against me if I were to remain a member of the PDP.
“I cannot also fail to raise these questions now, having raised similar ones during the administrations of Governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed A. Abubakar. If I abdicate this responsibility on the altar of partisan loyalty, I will be the most irresponsible and unprincipled politician in Bauchi State.
“Thus, by this letter, I have resigned my membership of the PDP to enable me keep faith with my principle of fighting for good governance in our Dear State.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Dogara and some lawmakers had left the APC for the PDP ahead of the 2019 general election, alongside former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.