The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, has resigned his position and announced his exit from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
His defection comes after the Senate President Bukola Saraki and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed both ditched the ruling party for a return to the PDP.
Abdullahi announced his resignation and departure from the ruling party in a statement signed by him on Wednesday.
“In view of recent political developments in the country and within the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have decided to resign my position as the National Publicity Secretary as well as my membership of the party with effect from today,” he said.
“In the last few days, I have had to endure the flagrant usurpation of my role as the spokesman of the party in a manner that I consider unbefitting of a ruling party and inconsistent with my ethical standards.
Mallam Andullahi added that he served the party honestly and to the best of his ability, adding that it was a keen desire to continue to do so when he contested election at the last convention.
“Since assuming office as the spokesman of the party, I have tried to set a new template for public political communications in a way that departs from the vulgar abuse and verbal aggression of the recent past, where cheap lies and crude propaganda were normalised as politics, and even celebrated as measures of competence.
“Unfortunately, those who felt I was not ‘forceful enough’ framed my ethical disposition as evidence of a lack of commitment to the party.”
He also pointed to the recent dissolution of the party executive in Kwara State by the APC national leadership, saying it was “another phase in the unrelenting assault” which he had to endure.
“That action was, to say the least, disrespectful,” he said. “Quite recently, we all took the oath to do justice to all and not allow personal interests to interfere with our official responsibilities.”
“With this obviously presumptuous action, and the decision to appoint as chairman of caretaker committee, the same man who had emerged as the chairman from the parallel congress in my state, the NWC has taken sides, violated its oath office and subverted its own credibility as an impartial arbiter,” he stated.