Buhari receives Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Bwacha after defecting to APC

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja 

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday received  Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP Taraba), who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The short ceremony took place before he departed to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 35th Ordinary Session of Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government.

His defection was made public when the Chairman of APC National Caretaker Committee and Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni, presented him to the President officially.

President Buhari in the presence of his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, welcomed the ranking Senator and latest entrant into the party.

Speaking to State House Correspondents, Buni explaining the purpose of the visit, said: “We just brought in our newest member of the party, the All Progressives Congress, the person of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, for Mr. President to formally receive him into the party, and that is what we have just done.”

Asked how he received, chairman of APC National Caretaker Committee, said: “He was happy and delighted. You know, a ranking Senator like Senator Emmanuel Bwacha joining APC from Taraba, you know, it speaks for itself.”

Bwacha on why he joined APC said: “I choose the APC because I know from the homefront that is where there will be a level playing ground, number one. Then number two, the Ibi Bridge, which had been awarded and work is ongoing, was awarded under President Muhammadu Buhari, nobody from my senatorial district is not happy about this project, because this has been our cry since the colonial days.

“Also, under his watch, the Kashimbila Dam project had been completed. So, I had to answer to the calls of my constituents to join this party and redefine the narrative in Taraba State and restore its lost glory.”

On what to expect going forward in Taraba State, he said: “Going forward, I am calling on all and sundry to join forces together so that we can build a better Taraba, where governance will be seen as the hope of the people and where development of infrastructure will be a key priority. Basically, that is my mission statement.”