No fewer than 370,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Jigawa State have defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and eight governors on the party’s platform received the defectors in Dutse on Sunday amid jubilation
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governors present at the occasion were Alhaji Bindo Jibrila (Adamwa), Alhaji Abubakar Bello (Niger), Alhaji Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Alhaji Bello Masari (Katsina).
Others were Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Alhaji Kasim Shetima (Borno), Alhaji Abdulazeez Yari (Zamfara) and Prof. Hafiz Abubakar (Deputy Governor of Kano State).
Receiving defectors, Odigie-Oyegun said the calibre of the defectors was an indication that the APC was on the right track.
Odigie-Oyegun said anyone who truly loved Nigeria and believed in the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari to lead the country to the path of greatness was always welcome to the party.
He commended Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State for his good leadership in the state, which he said led to the harvest of former PDP chieftains in the state.
In his remarks, Badaru, who said the number of defectors was more than 370,000, pledged that the APC would be fair to them and that they would be treated like the old members of the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the defectors included 16 serving local government chairmen and Alhaji Ibrahim Khalid, the state Chairman of the Association of Local Government Chairmen.
Eight serving Vice-Chairmen of local councils in the state and Alhaji Lawal Abdu, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, were also among the defectors.
The list also has Alhaji Hameed Malammadori, former Minister of Power and Steel, and Alhaji Saminu Turaki, former Governor of the state.
Alhaji Mustapha Kiyawa, former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bashir Adamu, Alhaji Yusuf Galambi and some members of the House were also among the defectors received at the event.
Alhaji Bashir Adamu, who spoke on behalf of defectors, said they defected because they were no longer comfortable with the PDP.
Adamu pledged to work with the party at all levels to bring the needed positive change to the people.
NAN
