The Maku Campaign Organisation has denied a report that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Mr. Labaran Maku, was planning to return to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
A statement by spokesman of the campaign organization, Zakari Edego, said the report was “the manifestation of the desperation in the PDP in Nasarawa state having realized that the party has become an empty shell since Mr. Maku left to pursue his governorship ambition in APGA.
“In just two months of Mr. Maku’s defection to APGA, almost 65 percent of the electorate have turned to Maku, making APGA the fastest growing party in Nasarawa State.
“We have also noticed with dismay that some thugs were sent earlier to destroy the billboards of the APGA’s governorship candidate all over the state because of the huge popularity Mr. Maku is enjoying since their own candidate is highly unpopular.
“Thereafter, they went on air to spread lies in order to discourage the mass movement in Nasarawa state for the election of Mr. Labaran Maku as governor under APGA on April 11!”
The statement said further that “what the PDP in Nasarawa state (doesn’t) know is that they are making the people more angry against them and increasing public sympathy for the APGA governorship candidate and former Information Minister.
“On a serious note, all the major blocs in Nasarawa State are behind Maku right now. So the best way for the PDP to remain relevant is to be part of Maku’s campaign as a mark of honour and respect for the person who kept PDP alive in Nasarawa State since 2011.
“The cause of the trepidation in both the PDP and APC in Nasarawa State is that the scenario has changed overnight with Maku posed to defeat both the APC and PDP in all the three senatorial zones!
“Right now in Nasarawa state, the election is not between APC and PDP. It’s between APGA and APC! The PDP has lost its soul since the defection of Maku and it is evident in their campaign in Nasarawa state, which is like a funeral procession!
“The only way for PDP to remain relevant in Nasarawa State is to support APGA since their own candidate, Yusuf Agabi, has no constituency to win elections in Nasarawa State.
“The truth is that Agabi was forced on us by the godfathers of Almakura in PDP, who wanted to make sure that APC remains in power in Nasarawa State!
“That explains why they hijacked the ticket from Maku, who has the clout and the pedigree, and gave it to a highly unpopular person so that APC would have a smooth ride to the Government House on Shendam Road.
“At any rate, with Maku’s defection, half the people moving with Agabi are actually in APGA!” the statement said.