Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, said there was no truth in the reports that another governor elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party will soon defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Ishaku spoke while answering questions from State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday.
He was reacting to the claim that with Thursday’s defection of Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade, from the PDP to the APC, another governor is planning to dump the opposition party.
Ishaku said, “I don’t see that happening. And like I said, even his own was a shock to some of us. I don’t see that happening.
“For Nigeria, we should hope for a vibrant opposition that will help to put and maintain the system. Democracy without opposition is not a democracy.”
Ishaku described Ayade’s defection as “shocking and embarrassing” to the opposition party.
He added, “We are greatly shocked and embarrassed that he will suddenly dump the party for the APC because all of us see the PDP as an alternative to APC.
“All PDP governors are doing well in their respective states. For him to defect to the APC, I don’t know the details of that.
“But be that as it may, I believe that any democratic country must have an opposition; a viable opposition and opposition in itself is good for democracy.
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“If you don’t have an opposition, then the government in power can go astray.
“But as to the reason why our colleague in the PDP will depart, I don’t know the details, and I can’t vouch for him.
“However, I want to assure you that all the governors in the PDP are doing well in their respective states. Possibly because we are in the opposition and the pressure is on us and we are doing the best we can.”
Ishaku recalled that the PDP’s reconciliation committee visited Ayade.
“Let me tell you, the committee has done a good job. A very good one. But it depends on the decision of an individual and what he actually hopes to gain.
“You may have the best of intentions; somebody may not agree with you. I think it is more of the governor’s decision as it affects him, and nobody should hold grief for that,” he added
Speaking on the position of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on the removal of fuel subsidy, Ishaku stated that talks are still ongoing.
He said, “These issues are ongoing. I can’t pre-empt anything now. However, committees have been set up.
“I have only come to the Villa to brief the Chief of Staff to pass some of my observations and thoughts to Mr President, particularly on Mambilla hydropower.”