The trio of former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and former governors of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba and Gbenga Daniel have separately reached decisions to move over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), multiple sources told huhuonline.com on Thursday.
Some of them told our correspondent that the party was already aware as the trio had differently made moves to resolve their differences with the party so as to make them fit in as members.
It was further learnt that Osoba is believed to have contacted the National Leader of the APC and former ally, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for negotiations.
“The negotiations include where to place Osoba and what would be made available to him to as elder,” one of the sources said.
Ribadu was the presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the general election of 2011. He lost to former President Goodluck Jonathan coming a distant third in the election.
He later chaired a committee under the former President and discredited allegations that he was planning to decamp to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he later joined and supported Jonathan’s re-election bid.
Ribadu, who contested the governorship election in Adamawa state during the 2015 general election and lost, is said to have his eyes on 2019, “even though it is yet to be revealed which position he wants.
Another source said, “It is our belief that he sees a brighter chance with our party. He recently paid a visit to the former acting National Chairman of our party, Chief Bisi Akande, and I can tell you that returning to our fold was one of the issues discussed at that meeting.
“If you watch, Ribadu has been silent on national issues. This is because he doesn’t want to create doubts in the minds of the APC members while negotiations continue.
“Another reason for you to believe that he eyes returning to the APC is what happened during the selection process for the position of PDP National Chairman.”
Ribadu, whose name was prominent among those slated to lead the PDP, was said to have gone into hiding several hours before the final choice of Ali Modu Sheriff was made. Even National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, confirmed that he could not be reached.
Osoba was the governor of Ogun state while Tinubu was governor of Lagos. He was one of those who allegedly bought into what later came to be known as the political deceit of former Present Olusegun Obasanjo and this earned him a loss to Gbenga Daniel in the subsequent governorship election.
Osoba, a founding member of the APC, left the party as a result of the rift between him and Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the current governor of Ogun state.
Reports then had suggested that the rift was caused by Amosun’s refusal to allow him take over majority of the structure of the party in the state. He broke up with Amosun and took with him the then Deputy Governor of the state, some members of the National Assembly and some leaders of the party in the state when he formed the Social Democratic Party, fashioned towards the party under which late businessman, Moshood Abiola, contested election during the military era.
Osoba’s party lost woefully during the 2015 election.
Daniel, a former ally of Tinubu too, lost the relationship partly because of his affiliation with the PDP.
After two consecutive but turbulent years as governor of Ogun, Daniel went under with only few public appearances.
Sources said Daniel, who said he remained in the PDP despite forming a new party, had been in contact with Tinubu for a possible political switch.
“It would have been formalised, but you know cases like this are rear and the APC and these would-be entrants need to tread cautiously so as not to spring up controversies.
Asked if they would be accepted by the members of the APC considering the alleged betrayals of especially Ribadu and Osoba, one of the source reminded our correspondent that in politics, only permanent interest was important. “Friends will always go and return. The party is only particular about what to achieve by their being members,” he said, “just keep your fingers crossed.”
