The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was conspicuously absent at the party’s rally on Saturday in Minna.
The Eagle Online gathered that other national leaders and all the six state governors slated to attend the party’s rally were also absent.
In the same vein, all the state House of Assembly members in the state walked out of the rally.
The rally, earlier scheduled for 1pm, did not commence until 3pm when it became clear that national chieftains of the party and the invited governors will not attend.
The hallmark of the rally was the reception of decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party.
They included former PDP executives and some commissioners in the last administration among others totalling 34.
In his address at the pre-rally meeting with the decampees, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, attributed the rising profile of the APC in the state to strict adherence to the principle of party supremacy.
Bello advised the new members to ensure compliance with the party structure by recognizing and adhering to the principle of party supremacy.
He said: “The cohesion, progress and unity we are witnessing in Niger State, APC today are product of strict adherence to the party supremacy.
“We respect party supremacy here and I am glad that the caliber of people coming back to the family are experienced party men.
“I want to advice that you all go back to your wards and build strong and cordial relationships.
“You are all party men, go to the wards and romance with our members and possibly massage them as you come to share your experience and help to further build a strong party in the state.”
Bello assured the decampees of immediate assimilation into the party, with a pledge that his administration was prepared to engage them in delivering the Restoration Agenda of his administration.
The state Chairman of the APC, Engr. Imam Jibrin Gawu, described the defection of the former opposition chieftains as a good omen both for the state and the party, stressing: “This development will further strengthen the party.”
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