The five governors, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for All Progressives Congress, have declared that their defection was not driven by the desire to become leaders of the party in their respective states.
Rather, they said the move was a patriotic one geared towards saving democracy from tyrannical grip.
Speaking through the Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako on Sunday, the governors, whose defection has led to fresh crisis for APC in some of the affected states, explained that contrary to insinuations expressed in some quarters, they moved over to the APC to join forces with other patriots to form a pan-Nigerian national platform that would serve as a veritable vehicle for the enthronement of genuine unity, peace and progress in Nigeria.
Nyako said in a statement made available to journalists by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Ahmad Sajoh, that at the time they moved to the APC they had other options, which they would have exploited if they were propelled by selfish motives.
Among the several options open to the five governors according to Nyako was the formation of a new political party, joining any of the newly-formed parties or any of the existing political parties in Nigeria.
“But we opted to join the APC because it represents a broad-based coalition of democratic forces built on the ideals of progress and development”, Nyako said.
“Governor Murtala Nyako believes that it is only by the coming together of progressive forces that Nigeria will be saved from the grip of a cabal that has held the presidency captive and has continued to provide excuses for countless failures rather than advance ideas on the provision of dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria”.
“This cabal has unwittingly reduced arguments about the future of Nigeria to non-issue such as ethnicity and religious bigotry. Under such circumstances, the progress of the nation has stagnated, leadership focus has become clannish and mediocrity has taken over serious business of government.
“These are the real challenges before all patriots and these are the motives behind the move by the G5 governors and all other patriotic forces in the National Assembly and other sections of the polity.
“Anyone who reads the statement issued by the PDP leadership on Sunday, January 5, 2014 should definitely appreciate the real dangers these unpatriotic forces want to unleash on the country”.
Nyako stressed that he was not nursing any future political ambition other than to see that Nigeria is driven on the path of progress and economic prosperity.
“As a two-term Governor, I am constitutionally excluded from the next gubernatorial election, and I have already stated that I have no ambition to contest any other political office in 2015. All I am concerned with is to serve as a statesman who promotes the best interest of future generations of Nigerians”, Nyako said.
The g5s who defected to panadol should stop making a noise becuase they have loose their value, you have reached your different peak. How l wish the lord could open your eyes to see the writing on the wall . Nigerians can no longer accommodate you and no more relevant. My advice to g5s is to retire honourably like Nelson.