Former vice president Atiku Abubakar and former senate president Bukola Saraki commended Edo state governor Godwin Obaseki for joining the PDP.
Mr Obaseki joined the PDP at an elaborate ceremony in the state capital, Benin, on Friday.
His former party, APC, had disqualified him from seeking re-election for allegedly presenting questionable certificates.
The governor of Edo, who had been at loggerheads with Adams Oshiomhole, the suspended chairman of the All Progressive Congress ( APC), later announced his resignation from the APC.
Like other opposition party chieftains, Messrs Abubakar and Saraki welcomed Mr Obaseki into the PDP, congratulating him on taking a positive move forward.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Mr Saraki noted that the greater commendation and appreciation should go to the leaders of the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Edo State chapter at the various levels for the sense of sacrifice, patriotism and devotion to the party ‘s progress demonstrated by them in welcoming Mr Obaseki into its fold.
Commenting on the situation which has led to the resignation of Mr Obaseki from APC, Mr Saraki said; “While I have kept my cool and ignored all the verbal attacks directed at me by the suspended chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, I have always known that a day like this would come when his masquerade will dance naked in the market.”
“What is happening to him now is a moment of truth. This same man who was garrulously proclaiming the end of the political career of some other people is now about to meet his Waterloo.”
Mr Saraki also accused Mr Oshiomhole of having “continually using his mouth to divide his party.”
In a separate release, Mr Abubakar expressed confidence that the people of Edo State will be the better for Mr Obaseki ‘s choice.
Mr Abubakar said on Friday that Governor Obaseki entered the PDP as the party is poised to provide the people of Nigeria with good governance.
“I am happy that you have finally exited the oppressive ruling party and joined the truly democratic party in Nigeria. I have no doubt that your coming into the PDP would further strengthen our party to mobilize the people behind the common cause of deepening democratic ethos in our country and restoring prosperity to our people.
“The PDP that you have come to join today is a reformed and repositioned party – one that lives by its name of being a truly democratic party.
“I have an unflinching conviction that your joining the party would be an asset to the PDP. Together, we can work to extinct every form of undemocratic tendencies in our body politic and realign the good people of Edo State to the moving train of democracy and restoration of good governance to the country,” he said.
SEE FULL DETAILS OF SARAKI’S STATEMENT
Press Statement by Dr. Abubakar Bukoka Saraki, CON, on Gov. Obaseki's defection to PDP. pic.twitter.com/cNYjXt1TgE
— Yusuph Olaniyonu (@Yusupholaniyonu) June 19, 2020
