The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that its priority for now is about the 2019 general elections, not the defections of its members to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday dumped APC for PDP.

Tambuwal’s defection came 24 hours after the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed and some others defected from APC.

The defection of Tambuwal has brought to three, the number of APC governors that have defected from APC in the last one week.

Also, 14 Senators and 36 House of Representatives’ members of APC had defected to PDP and other opposition parties.

But reacting to the sundry defections of APC members, the party, in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said that the APC was neither surprised nor disturbed by the defections.

Nabena said: “The defection of Senate President Bukola Saraki; Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed and Aminu Tambuwal of Kwara and Sokoto states respectively; National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; and others, to the opposition PDP neither surprises nor distracts the APC. Every follower of events in recent times could decipher the signs that foretold the exit of Saraki, Tambuwal, Ahmed, Abdullahi, from our great party.

“We thank them for their contributions to the APC for the period they were with us. We also salute their courage to openly declare where they belong, as we had always advised.

“APC is a party founded and run on the principles of freedom, sincerity, and forthrightness. Saraki and the others have the freedom of association and the right to pursue their political ambitions wherever they deem fit.

“Our advice and hope is that those who have left should also have the courage to inspire in their respective political environments the atmosphere of unencumbered freedom created by the APC, which enabled them to leave without let or hindrance.”

Expressing indifference on the defectors, APC said: “As a party, our attention is on the matter in hand, the 2019 general elections. We are united and focused, with an eye to continuation of our winning streak in all elections this year, next year, and beyond. And we will win!

“To our members in Kwara, Sokoto and the other 34 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), remain steadfast and courageous. Encourage one another in our streets, teeming with APC members and supporters from North to South, and East to West.”