Daniel Bwala, a former aide to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed that he has left the party and is “close” to joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Bwala was a spokesman for the campaign organisation of Atiku Abubakar – the PDP candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

But on a Channels TV programme, Bwala declared, “I am not a member of the PDP. Yes, I have left the PDP”.

When asked if he is now a member of the APC, he said, “I am very close” to joining the ruling party he defected from.

The former PDP member’s defection from the PDP may not have come as surprising to observers.

Bwala who was a staunch critic of President Bola Tinubu in the run-up to the 2023 election, became one of the apostles of the president’s policies after the poll.

In January, he was a guest of President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja where he called on Nigerians to support the government.

“I honoured the invitation of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is a father to the nation, who God has given the opportunity to lead the country at this difficult time, so I came to celebrate and congratulate him.

“I also gave him my commitment that as citizens of this country, this is the time for us to throw our weight behind and support the administration,” Bwala said.

He also later met Tinubu in Paris, France. Bwala defended the visits, saying he informed Atiku before going to the Presidential Villa.

“I informed Atiku Abubakar I was going to see the President,” Bwala said. “After I had seen the President, I informed him (Atiku) that I had just seen the President and he replied me that, ‘Thanks Daniel for notifying me’.”

In the wake of his actions, Bwala dismissed speculations that he was making the moves to get an appointment.