In a significant political development, 702 members of four opposition parties in Makera Constituency, Kaduna-South Local Government Area, have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors, comprising former candidates, women and youth leaders, were received by the APC leadership in Kakuri Gwari on Monday.
The defectors, who include Ayok Danboyi, a former State House of Assembly candidate, and Yunana Bala, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), pledged to work tirelessly for the APC’s success in the October 19 local government elections. They attributed their defection to the leadership style of Executive Vice Chairman Nehemiah Baba-Karik and Governor Uba Sani, which they described as unifying and focused on good governance.
Ibrahim Soso, APC Local Government Chairman, assured the new members of equal opportunities and urged them to vote for all APC candidates in the upcoming elections. Senator Lawal Aliyu, a former Senator representing Kaduna-North, also welcomed the defectors. Executive Vice Chairman Nehemiah Baba-Karik described their decision as “wise” and promised that they would not be left behind in the scheme of things.
The mass defection is seen as a significant blow to the opposition parties, particularly the PDP, ahead of the local government elections. The APC leadership is confident that Kaduna-South will vote for their party, while the defectors believe that the PDP is “dead” in the area. The development has boosted the APC’s chances in the forthcoming elections.
