Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has disclosed that he is not defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to any other party. 

Reports of Ekweremadu’s alleged plans to defect had dominated the country’s media space in the last couple of days. The reports claimed that Ekweremadu felt betrayed by the PDP and particularly the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for choosing Peter Obi as his running mate.

But reacting to the reports on his official Facebook page, the Deputy Senate President said for now, he remained a bona fide member of the PDP, stressing that his political future lies only in the hands of God.

“In the past 24 hours, I have been inundated with calls from friends and political associates seeking clarification on the rumours of my departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has dominated the media.

“Let it be known that my path in politics is in the hands of the Almighty God, who has indeed been very faithful and gracious to me. I’m very grateful to God for this.

“My vision in politics is a system that works for everybody, a social and political environment where everybody, every section and every tribe not only counts, but is also seen to count.

”As leaders, we must be mindful of this, for any system built on anything less will not endure. I am grateful to you – members of my family, my friends, political associates, and admirers across Nigeria and beyond – for your uncommon concern.

“I am indeed humbled by your kind words of solidarity and support. Please, rest assured that I am still in the PDP,” Ekweremadu wrote.

Reacting to Ekweremadu’s rumoured defection plans, the national leadership of the PDP said there was nothing in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that could attract Ekweremadu into its fold.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who debunked the rumours, said instead of losing members, aggrieved members of the APC would soon defect to the former ruling party.

Ologbondiyan said: “Why would someone like the DSP (Deputy Senate President ) consider joining the APC? This is a party that the highest court in the land just described as being stupid. 

“Who will leave a rebranded party like the PDP and join such a party that has been described in such aderogatory word? Forget the rumour. Dr. Ekweremadu is with us and will never join a party like APC that is enmeshed in internal crisis.”