A member of the National Assembly representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District, on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Aliyu Wadada, on Tuesday declared himself as a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite the fact that he has not formally defected to the party.

Wadada also said there will be no space for the opposition political parties to contest the position of President in 2027, emphasising that no candidate has what it takes to defeat President Bola Tinubu.

The Senator who disclosed this while speaking with reporters after meeting behind closed doors with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, described the PDP as one of the ingredients put in the pot to cook the APC, saying he has not seen any member of the coalition, African Democratic Party (ADC) that may do better than Tinubu if voted into office in 2027.

According to him, the ADC coalition party is “membered by Nigerians that we respect, we have respect for. But look at them. Look at each and every one of them who stands to do anything better than what Asiwaju Bola Tinubu administration is doing. Tell me, I haven’t seen any.

“Ask any of them if you are given the chance to preside over Nigeria, that may come beyond 2027 maybe after 2031 because between now and 2031 anybody can say what he or she wishes to say, but the space is already taken, occupied by President Asiwaju, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Who amongst them will have the courage, the impetus to tell Nigerians and the world that if I am given the opportunity to preside over Nigeria, I will return subsidy?”

Clarifying his stance, he affirmed his support for President Tinubu’s leadership, not out of sentimentality due to their shared APC roots or personal relations, but due to Tinubu’s transformative agenda which has brought unprecedented changes despite resistance to change by some quarters.

Wadada cited infrastructural projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry and Abuja-Kano roads and the transformation in the Federal Capital Territory as tangible evidence of the administration’s commitment to national development.

He thanked President Tinubu for honoring him with a national felicitation during his turbaning as the Maga Jindengi of Lafia early in August.

Reflecting on his political journey, Wadada highlighted his dynamic affiliations, revealing that before joining the SDP, he was involved with’the APC even before its formal establishment and served as the national financial secretary of the PDP.

He said his move from APC to SDP was circumstantial rather than due to any grievances, adding that he remained proud of SDP.

He, however, hinted that recent developments might prompt him to leave SDP, indicating a possible return to APC, although he has not officially rejoined the party yet. He emphasized that political dynamism necessitates flexibility in affiliations.

Commenting on the emergence of the ADC, Wadada expressed respect for its members but questioned their capability to offer better alternatives to the current Tinubu administration.

He challenged the party to present concrete policies beyond rhetoric, particularly on issues such as subsidies, foreign exchange management, and infrastructural development, asserting that the electorate is well-informed and demands substantive solutions.

His words: “I was APC before SDP, and I was APC before APC was eventually formed …I was a national Officer of PDP too. I was the national financial secretary of PDP too. And nobody can deny the fact that PDP too was one of the ingredients that were put in the pot to cook APC.

“And so I have, I was, and I have been APC even before joining APC, and my departure from APC to SDP at the time, wasn’t that APC had done anything wrong to me. It was just circumstantial. And I wouldn’t want to bore anybody talking about circumstances that led to my departure from APC, because it came, and it’s now gone.

“And as a result of it, I went out there, saw, seen, and conquered and that’s why today I am in the Senate on the platform of SDP.

“But there is no hiding the fact that, and I had said this earlier, sometime back, that SDP as a political party hasn’t offended me. I am still proud of SDP, but the happenings now may not warrant my continuous stay in SDP, and so I am on my way.

“I could even say that I am APC, though I have not officially moved, but I am APC, and not because SDP has offended me, just like the same way I moved from APC to SDP. Dynamism of life makes it imperative for everything in life to be dynamic.”

Commenting on the new tax reform bills which have generated criticism, Wadada defended the law, noting that it exempts those earning less than 800,000 Naira annually from personal income tax and results in increased revenue for states, including Lagos, especially in the context of subsidy removal.

He called for accountability among all stakeholders—media, politicians, and citizens alike—in disseminating accurate information and fulfilling their civic duties. (AriseNews TV)