There seems to be no end yet in sight to the gale of defections from the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The National Chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, hinted yesterday that the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima would be visiting Jos, the Plateau State capital on October 30 to officially receive a new set of decampees to the party.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday led thousands of party faithful at a grand rally held at the Murtala Square, Kaduna, to welcome a wave of defectors from opposition parties into the APC.
In Kano State, also yesterday, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Lawan, formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his ward.
Prof. Yilwatda made the disclosure regarding the imminent visit of Vice President to Jos during an APC Strategic Stakeholders meeting which held at the Crest Hotel Conference Hall in the Plateau State capital yesterday..
He further revealed that the Vice President had already given his consent to the reception.
Yilwatda said, “We welcomed Mr President about two weeks ago, and now we are going to welcome the Vice President.
“Yesterday (Friday), I spoke with the governors under the Plateau of our great party, the All Progressives Congress, about the forthcoming event, and a good number of them said they are well prepared to be on the platform.”
He said Hon. Abbas had also agreed to be part of the reception ceremony, “so we’re going to have a full house again, back on the platform”.
“So the same atmosphere we created during the burial of my mother will repeat itself.
“We will test the mic, we will increase the volume, we will increase the dancing steps.
“Consequent upon that, our elder, Architect P.D. Gyang, will chair the central planning committee for receiving all the decampees to APC.
He said there were many activities in the offing to keep party vibrant, keep the decampees in the news and keep them active.
“We just finished the medical outreach. The team from U.S. left today, but we have some local doctors that will sustain it until part of next week,” he said, adding that a new programme would be unveiled by Monday.
He also said the trend of launching new programmes would continue until until the 2027 elections.
“The programme that we plan to do next week is to give N100 million business challenge to the youths, SMEs.
“So we still expect a team to be constituted; people who will be saddled with the responsibility of receiving the submissions of those that l will be selected.
He said with regard to youth empowerment, there will be people that will get one million naira, those who would get N500,000 and others who would get N250,000 to boost their existing businesses.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday led thousands of party faithful at a grand rally held at the Murtala Square, Kaduna, to welcome a wave of defectors from opposition parties into the ruling party.
The event, described by party leaders as a “renewal of unity and victory,” saw the formal defection of several lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The rally drew a mammoth crowd of supporters, government officials, members of the National and state assemblies, and key political figures from across the state.
The entire Murtala Square was adorned with party colours as supporters chanted victory songs and waved banners celebrating what many described as a “political landslide.”
Among the decampees were members representing Sabon Gari, Igabi, Kaduna South, and Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituencies, as well as several former senators, local government chairmen, and political heavyweights from the PDP and NNPP.
Governor Uba Sani, visibly delighted, said the growing number of decampees was a reflection of public confidence in the APC’s inclusive leadership and people-centered governance model.
He assured new members that the APC in Kaduna operates as a single family without discrimination, stressing that old and new members would enjoy equal opportunities and privileges.
“In APC Kaduna, we are one family. We don’t discriminate. Everyone has the same privilege and the same opportunity,” Sani declared.
“Our focus has always been justice, fairness, and inclusivity. Kaduna is the most diverse state in Nigeria, and we have used our diversity as our strength,” he added.
He added that since his administration came on board, Kaduna has enjoyed relative peace and harmony, noting that the absence of ethno-religious conflict in the past year is a testament to the government’s commitment to equity and inclusiveness.
“Since we came in, there has not been a single ethno-religious crisis in Kaduna State. We are working as one family, and that is the kind of politics that brings development,” he said.
Governor Sani also used the occasion to recognise some prominent figures who recently joined the APC, including former Governor Ramalan Yero, Senator Shehu Sani, Senator Andrew Makarfi Malar, and Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, among others.
He however assured the new entrants that the APC will continue to deliver on its promises of fairness, equity, and good governance, saying, “our goal is not politics for power, but politics for the people. Kaduna APC is united, stronger, and ready for the future.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, commended the Governor for his leadership style, which he said has repositioned Kaduna as a model of unity and progress in Northern Nigeria.
He said the large turnout at the rally shows that the people of Kaduna are solidly behind the APC’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, also praised Governor Sani’s leadership, describing him as a bridge-builder who has strengthened the party’s structure across all local governments. He noted that the Kaduna rally marked the beginning of strategic political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the ruling party would continue to welcome all Nigerians who share its vision of inclusive governance and national development.
Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Liman, and other party chieftains also pledged loyalty to the Governor’s leadership, stressing that the unity currently being witnessed in the party would guarantee sweeping victories in the coming polls
Ex-Rep Farouk Lawan defects to APC
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Lawan, yesterday formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) at his ward in Kano State.
The occasion saw him receive a new APC membership card from the leadership of the APC at his ward and local government levels.
Presided over by the APC Chairman of Shanono Local Government Area, Iysai Sheme, the occasion was attended by the members of the Shanono APC LGA executive and witnessed by hundreds of APC party members and well-wishers.
Speaking at the occasion, Lawan expressed joy and gratitude to Allah at his movement to the All Progressives Congress (APC) while describing the occasion as a milestone in his political career.
He recalled that but for a brief period during his incarceration when he urged his supporters to vote for the NNPP, he had all along been a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since he joined politics in 1999.
“Today I have received the membership card of the APC and I hope and pray to play my role in helping the APC to succeed at all levels in 2027,” the former representative of Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency said.
Diri’s defection to APC’ll attract devt, progress to Ijaw nation says ex-acting Speaker Angaye
A former acting Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Fini Angaye, has declared that Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri’s planned defection to the APC will be a blessing for the Ijaw nation.
The Nation
