Chief Barnabas Gemade, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has defected back to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Gemade dumped the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in a low key ceremony at the weekend at his Mbawar Council Ward, Konshisha local government area of Benue state was received by the chairman of the APC in Benue State, Abba Yaro.
He was followed by hundreds of his supporters to the APC.
According to him, his decision to rejoin the APC followed due consideration of his political climate and Benue state. He noted that his return to the party was a home-coming.
The politician thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the APC, saying he is committed to joining hands in reshaping the party to become stronger.
Gemade was received by Benue APC chairman Comrade Abba Yaro. Yaro described the politician as a big fish, adding that it is a happy day for the APC.
“We were not happy when you left. Now that you are back we are happy. It’s a good day for APC because Chief Gemade is a big fish,” he said.
The APC chairman assured Gemade that everyone gets equal treatment in the party while calling on all members to work in unity. He also asked for forgiveness in any area they have offended the returnee.
Gemade represented Benue North-east senatorial district on the platform of APC from 2015-2019.
He dumped the APC for the SDP shortly before the 2019 general election where he contested for the same position.
However, he lost to Senator Gabriel Suswam of the PDP.
This is coming a few days after a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, defected from the PDP to the APC. The lawmaker in a letter of resignation addressed to the Bogoro ‘C’ ward chairman of the PDP dated July 24, 2020, said the breakdown of governance in his native state of Bauchi prompted his defection.
According to the lawmaker, if he were to remain in the PDP, he would be accused of disloyalty for questioning governance under the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed whom he said he helped install as a governor in 2019.
