As Nigeria is gearing up for the commencement of campaigns for various elective positions, several members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and New Nigeria People’s party (NNPP) on Saturday abandoned their parties for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Goronyo local government area of Sokoto state.
Among the defectors were: NNPP State House of Assembly candidate in the area, Maniru Malami, who dumped the party alongside all his local government and 11 wards executives committee members of the party, among many supporters of the party.
Similarly, PDP bigwigs in the area among whom were former State Assembly aspirant, Shehu Dan Tsamaye, current Financial Secretary of the party, Hamza ‘Yar Dole, Chairman, Forum of wards Chairmen in the area, Amadu Dan Kansila, as well as PDP stalwart in the area, Hamisu Ya’u Isah Mai Alewa, among many others.
In his address, APC Chairman in Goronyo local government area, Kabiru Sarkin Fulani while welcoming the APC Gubernatorial candidate, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto and other top party functionaries of APC in the state, said a total of 9,800 supporters of the two political parties of PDP and NNPP left their parties for APC.
APC Zonal secretary North West, Barrister Bello Muhammad Goronyo and APC Zonal Women Leader in the Zone, Hadiza Ahmad Shagari informed the gathering that the Party at the National level was strategizing towards successful campaigns in the country.
They said the previous administration of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko had brought numerous developmental projects that impacted positively to the lives of the people of the area and the state at large.
APC Senatorial candidate in Sokoto East, Ibrahim Lamido Isa, expressed optimism on the victory of the party come 2023 General Elections.
He congratulated the defectors into APC and commended the party’s loyalists for their commitment as well as hard work toward the development of the party.
APC Chairman in the state, Isah Sadiq Achida, while receiving the decampees into APC, gave his assurances to them that they will enjoy all the rights and privileges accorded to APC members.
He further explained that, with the massive exodus of PDP members to APC across the state, he was hopeful that the party will emerge victorious during the polls.
APC Gubernatorial candidate in the state, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto FCNA, expressed satisfaction on the colossal migration of PDP and NNPP members to APC.
He said that those were the signs of acceptability for APC as a winning party.
He re-emphasized that, PDP administration in the state has failed to deliver on all the promises it made to the people of the state when they came into power.
During the August gathering, several defectors spoke on the reasons for dumping their former parties for APC.
They said they dumped that their former parties PDP and NNPP lacked focus.
According to them, PDP in the state had failed to provide dividends of democracy and plunged the people into abject poverty for the past seven years.
Other defectors who spoke include; NNPP State Assembly candidate, Maniru Malami, Abu U.D, Chairman of the NNPP in the area, Financial Secretary of PDP in the area, Hamza ‘Yardole, former PDP Councilor, Habibu Shehu Rimawa and Chairman, Forum of wards chairmen in the area, Amadu Dan Kansila, among others.
Personalities that graced the epoch-making occasion at the Goronyo local government were, APC Deputy Gubernatorial candidate, Idris Muhammad Gobir; Sokoto East Senatorial Candidate, Ibrahim Lamido Isa, former Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Umaru Shehu Goronyo, Abdulkadir Jelani Danbuga, House of Representatives candidate in Isa/Sabon Birni Federal Constituency.
Others were; former Commissioners, retired Permanent Secretaries and party stalwarts in the area and the state in general.
