A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has revealed how President Muhammadu Buhari allegedely invited the former Governor of Akwa Ibom state and showed him the indicting record of his embezzlement of state resources under his control before his sudden defection to APC.
Lamido said Nigeria’s political system is going through strange and challenging times, and has claimed those in power are using poverty to intimidate and woo opposition members to their fold.
The former governor said the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and former defence minister, Musiliu Obanikoro, were “victims” of the menace, as both men defected from PDP because APC planned to arraign them before a court of law, after revealing their bank account balances to them.
Mr Lamido was speaking on Thursday while inaugurating the election campaign committee in Dutse, Jigawa State capital, in an arena filled with people.
His claims were massively acknowledged by the crowd.
“Now in this current political dispensation, if you steal public funds and ‘stash’ them in the bank and you are a member of opposition, they will tell you to come back to APC. They will forgive you, but if you refuse, they will prosecute you. That is how Messrs Akpabio and Obanikoro were forced to leave PDP for APC,” Mr Lamido said.
Messrs Akpabio and Obanikoro could not be immediately reached for comments.
Mr Lamido said the ruling party, APC, was using poverty as a weapon to weaken the opposition.
“Nigerians are suffering. For three years, they did not do anything. Now that they sense defeat, they have started giving out money.
“This is not the type of politics we learnt. Previously, it is the people who financed their own cause and if a leader disagrees with the people, they will call him to order. Now, politics has become a business venture for politicians to make money,” Mr Lamido said.
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