PDP hit by gale of defections

In Gombe state, the Majority leader State House of Assembly, Mamman Alkali, over fifty Personal Assistants and Special Assistants to Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and thousands of PDP members yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In Jigawa state the former Governor, Saminu Turaki, the current Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel were among […]

In Gombe state, the Majority leader State House of Assembly, Mamman Alkali, over fifty Personal Assistants and Special Assistants to Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and thousands of PDP members yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In Jigawa state the former Governor, Saminu Turaki, the current Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel were among many who dumped the PDP for the APC at a ceremony in Gumel yesterday.
In Kebbi state, Commissioner of Commerce, Sani Yusuf joined the APC along with others.
The Chairman Media committee of the APC campaign organization, Alh Abdullahi Lamba confirmed the defection to Daily Trust last night in Birnin Kebbi.
He said member representing Yauri, Shanga and Ngaski Local Government Rep. Garba Uba Bullet, Shuaibu Mungadi, Sani Kalgo, representing Kalgo/Bunza/Birnin Kebbi, seven other ward chairmen in Yauri LGA are among the defectors.
Other PDP chieftains in Kebbi, including two aggrieved governorship aspirants  Alh Hussaini Adamu and Alh Zubairu Wazirin Dabai, had earlier dumped the party for the APC.
The defection in Gombe took place at the State Secretariat of the APC where defectors were received by leaders of the APC in the State.
Alhaji Ibrahim Zamfara, a member of the PDP Elders Committee in Gombe said they crossed over to the APC because they felt the state should not be in opposition following the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari in the last Presidential election.
He also said they decided to embrace change because the PDP lacked transparency and had become discriminatory.
He said they felt it would be better for them to fix their tent with the winning train so that the State could benefit and move forward.
Other notable defectors from the PDP were two serving members of the State House of Assembly and two former members.
Receiving the defectors, the APC Gubernatorial candidate in the State, Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya asked them to feel free and consider themselves as bonafide members of the party.
He said they were going to be treated fairly and without any form of discrimination.
In Jigawa, Senator Muhammad Baban Beta who represented Jigawa Northwest Senatorial district from 1999 to 2003 and Senator Muhammad Dudu who represented Jigawa North-East Senatorial district from 1999-2007 along with Saminu Turaki and the deputy governor were received by the party Chairman, Ado Sani Kiri. With this caliber of men, the APC is certain of victory come April 11,” Kiri said.
Saminu Turaki last year launched the Saminiyya political movement which initially wanted to work for the PDP.
In Kaduna Nasir el-Rufa’i statement issued by his Spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan said series of closed-door meetings were held between el-Rufa’i and the defecting party leaders from 23 local government areas of the state.
The statement said the politicians had indicated their intention to join APC.
It said politicians who attended the meetings “discussed wide range of issues concerning under-development and abysmal backwardness of the state.”