Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, is unhappy after Femi Fani-Kayode joined the All Progressives Congress.
This is as he described Thursday as the saddest in his political career.
He posted the message on Facebook, hours after FFK met his boss at Aso Rock and defected to the ruling party.
“This is the saddest day of my political career,” Ojudu posted.
Ojudu subsequently shared a previous vow by FFK that he would never join APC, adding “I prefer to die than join APC”.
Before joining APC, Fani-Kayode is one of the prominent opposition voices in the country and he was a spokesperson for his former party, Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign.
The PUNCH had reported that Buhari formally received Fani- Kayode, who recently defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress on Thursday.
Kayode was led into the President’s office by the Caretaker Chairman of the APC and Governor of Yobe , Mr Mai-Mala Buni as well as Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara.
Drama as another PDP rep member defects to APC
Speaking to State House correspondents after Kayode’s presentation, Buni quoted the President as describing the defection of Kayode to APC as a welcome development, saying that the president was pleased that the former minister had joined the APC.
He said: “We are here to present our newest member of the party, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode to the President and leader of the party.
“He is the newest member of APC and we just received him in appreciation and understanding of the President’s vision and magnanimity.
“The President received him very well. The President is a leader who shares his vision and looks toward greater Nigeria, so he received him very well and commended his courage.”
Fani-Kayode, who also spoke to the correspondents, said he believed that it was time for him to cross over to join hands with the President in moving Nigeria forward.
He said: “The point is that I felt it was time to do the right thing, to put Nigeria first and appreciate the efforts that have been made, particularly in the last couple of years in terms of security; fighting insurgency and terrorism.
“It is not always negative and when the time is right, we change direction to join forces and join hands to move the country forward.
“Doing this doesn’t mean we are enemies to anybody. Even if we are in another party, the PDP or any other party or group, we can still work together across party, regional, ethnic or religious lines,” he said.
Flashback: APC is darkness, I’ll rather die than join, says Femi Fani-Kayode in 2019
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode on Thursday returned to the All Progressives Congress.
This comes barely two years after he described the party as darkness, which he will never associate with.
He had said in December 2019 when there was a speculation that he was considering to join the ruling party that “APC is a sinking ship”.
Then, in a series of tweets, he described the report of his defection as “false and insulting”.
He accused the President, Major General Buhari Muhammadu-led regime of deceiving Nigerians with anti-corruption war.
He had said, “The suggestion that l joined the APC is false and insulting. Those that are peddling this fake news should bury their heads in shame. With what we have witnessed, l would rather die than join a filthy, rat-infested sinking ship like the Almajiri Peoples Congress (APC).
“I am committed to opposing the APC and those that are in their ranks for the rest of my natural life and I will NEVER join them no matter what! They are nothing but darkness whilst l stand for the light of God and truth: there can be NO fellowship between light and darkness.”
But when he met Buhari, whom he had clamoured for his impeachment two years ago, FFK said he was just doing the right thing.
Fani-Kayode, who also spoke to the correspondents, said he believed that it was time for him to cross over to join hands with the President in moving Nigeria forward.
He said on Thursday: “The point is that I felt it was time to do the right thing, to put Nigeria first and appreciate the efforts that have been made, particularly in the last couple of years in terms of security; fighting insurgency and terrorism.
“It is not always negative and when the time is right, we change direction to join forces and join hands to move the country forward.
“Doing this doesn’t mean we are enemies to anybody. Even if we are in another party, the PDP or any other party or group, we can still work together across party, regional, ethnic or religious lines.”
