Last minute change, the deputy governor of Sokoto State, Mannir Dan’iya, has finalised agreement to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday.
Sources said he had allegedly sealed a $5million cross-carpeting deal with the ruling party.
The deputy governor, who is currently the Sokoto Central senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will be received by President Muhammadu Buhari into APC today.
Mr Buhari is expected to lead the presidential rally of the APC in Sokoto on Thursday and present the party’s presidential standard-bearer, Bola Tinubu, to the people of the state.
In a letter dated February 8, 2023 and addressed to the Kware Ward PDP chairman, the deputy governor said, “I write notify you of withdrawal of my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from 8! February 2023. I appreciate the opportunities given to me, which made me serve in various capacities under the PDP.”
But inside sources said several meeting were held in Sokoto and Abuja with the APC leader in the state, Aliyu Wamakko, and some top leaders of the party at the instance of Mr Dan’iya’s godfather, Ummarun Kwabo.
Mr Ummarun Kwabo had earlier in January defected to the APC, following Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s refusal to endorse the governorship ambition of Mr Dan’iya.
A source familiar with the meetings told our correspondent that the ruling party had made a lot of promises to him if he defects to APC and withdraws from senatorial contest for Mr Wamakko.
The ruling party leaders also agreed to refund the money he spent on the senatorial ambition.
“They offered him $5 million as compensation to withdraw from the senatorial contest for Alu [Wamakko] and join the APC. They know that PDP is a threat to them in Sokoto Central, so they are doing everything possible for Alu to go back to the senate.
“They also promised that Mannir’s cases with anti-corruption agencies will be dropped if he agrees to join the APC tomorrow,” said a source who preferred anonymity.
Efforts to speak with Mr Dan’iya were unsuccessful as his mobile telephone numbers were switched off.
He also did not reply to our reporter’s text message seeking his reactions to the issues.
