The Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, on Tuesday admitted that he betrayed five of his former Peoples Democratic Party colleagues, who later defected to the All Progressives Congress in November 2013.
The governor stated this after holding a closed-door meeting with the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, at the party’s secretariat, Abuja.
The five governors, called G-5, who dumped PDP for the APC are Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto); Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano); and the impeached Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako.
Originally known as G-7, consisting of the aforementioned governors, Mr. Lamido and Niger State Governor, Aliyu Babangida, they staged a walk-out from an August 2013 Special National Convention of PDP, alongside other party stalwarts, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former party Secretary, Sam Jaja, former acting national chairman of PDP, Kawu Baraje and former Kwara Governor, Bukola Saraki.
The group formed the “new PDP” immediately. But the five Governors, Messrs Ameachi, Wammako, Ahmed, Nyako and Kwankwanso defected to the APC while Lamido and Babangida, surprisingly, chose to stay back in PDP.
Speaking on the decision of Lamido and Aliyu to remain in PDP for the first time at the weekend, Mr. Kwankwanso accused the duo of betraying him and the other four governors.
He said the G-7 had an agreement to leave PDP, following a disagreement they had with the party hierarchy.
“Everyone knows Governor Lamido was part of us, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a certain height before choosing otherwise and we were all surprised by his final decision”.
But reacting to Kwankwaso’s statement on Tuesday, Lamido agreed that he betrayed the governors but declined further comments on the development.
“I am a betrayer, confirmed. I betrayed them. I did, yes. I am aligning myself to what he said. I am aligning my answer to what he said. Go and find out from him”.
“You have a father and a son, you do not come between a father and a son. You do not go out in the open to insult your father. It is our business, so leave it. You are not his own son, he is our own father, so leave us alone please”, he added.
The Jigawa State governor also denied that his recent meeting with Mr. Amaechi had anything to do with party politics. He said the Rivers Governor remains his friend and colleague and above all fellow compatriot with whom he meets occasionally to review issues.
Lamido said: “you see, sometimes you people have to listen to mischief. Amaechi and I are very good friends and colleagues, PDP or no PDP; as Nigerians. So if Amaechi comes to me, we have to look at issues pertaining to this country. How popular is the APC, how?”
He added, “How would I join APC? If wishes were horses, there won’t be APC”.