Defection rumour: Dogara backing APC candidates but hasn’t decamped, says aide

Turaki Hassan, media aide to Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, says his principal has not defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara is currently a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former speaker moved to the PDP in December 2022 after he declared support for Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate.

He left the ruling party because of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, which he and Babachir Lawal, a former secretary of the government of the federation (SGF), vehemently opposed.

At the time, they insisted that a Christian should be on the ticket.

However, on Sunday, a Twitter user insinuated that the former speaker had returned to the ruling party, saying: “Yakubu Dogara is officially back to the APC.”

Yakubu Dogara is officially back to the APC 😂🤣🤦🏽‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Lyz35JWRmE

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— Chris (@Topboychriss) March 12, 2023

But when TheCable contacted Dogara’s aide, he denied the claim of returning to APC.

Hassan however said Dogara is backing APC candidates in the governorship and state assembly elections in Bauchi state.

“It is not true. All his candidates are in APC except the presidential,” Hassan said.

“His proteges won house of representatives and senate and he is supporting Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar for Bauchi governorship. Also, all [his] state house of assembly candidates are in APC.”

The gubernatorial and state assembly elections are billed to hold across the country on March 18.