Niger dep gov, Ibeto, leaves PDP for APC

Ahmed Musa Ibeto, the deputy governor of Niger state, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibeto’s defection was announced at the presidential campaign rally of the opposition party currently going on in the state.

Ibeto, who was still aggrieved by his loss at the state governorship primary of PDP, said the electoral process that led to the emergence of Umar Nasko as governorship candidate was not in accordance with the PDP electoral law and the constitution.

“It is true we are defecting to APC because the primaries conducted were not in accordance with the PDP constitution,” he said.

“Myself and other aggrieved party members decided to petition the national headquarters of the party on the outcome of the governorship primaries with a view to addressing the obvious injustice but met a brick wall.

“We were expecting justice from the party’s national office but nothing was forthcoming, hence we decided to join the APC.”

Moving with him to the PDP were lawmakers Shehu Kagara and Abdulmalik Cheche of the federal house of representatives.

Ibrahim Embo and Abdulahi Musa of the Niger state house of assembly also defected, as did 15 other aides and more than  200 supproters of the deputy governor.

Ibeto’s political career began in 1987 when he was elected chairman of the then Magama Local Government for two years.

He was the state chairman of the National Republican Convention (NRC) Party in 1990 and was later elected as state secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC) from 1990 to 1992. He was also state secretary of the defunct United Nigeria Centre Party (UNCP) between 1995 and 1996, and that of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) between 1998 and 1999.

From 1999 to 2003, he was senior special assistant on protocol matters to then state governor, Attahiru bafarawa. He contested and won election into the federal house of representatives in 2003 under the platform of PDP and served as deputy chairman of the house committee on power. He was also chairman of the house committee on states and local governments.

Ibeto’s boss, Babangida Aliyu, is still in the PDP.