Days to their National Convention, more chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are abandoning the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC), worsening the party’s woes.
The latest defectors include a founding father and former PDP Chairman in Adamawa State, Joel Madaki; Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe (Cross River North); and former governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Zamfara State, Bashir Imad.
However, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has reportedly concluded arrangements to also defect at any moment from now. Announcing his defection, yesterday, at Ribadu Square, Yola, during a reception organised by the APC in his honour, Madaki declared the PDP “politically dead”.
The event was attended by political heavyweights, including former deputy governor, Martins Babale; Senator Bello Tukur, Masi Garba and Mustapha Ribadu.
APC stakeholders described Madaki’s move as “the final nail in the coffin of the PDP in Adamawa.”
THE announcement of Agom-Jarigbe’s defection was made at plenary yesterday, where Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, read his letter of defection.
“I believe that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the guidance of the National Assembly, the APC provides the best platform to deliver democratic dividends to the people of Cross River North,” Agom-Jarigbe said.
Jibrin welcomed the senator into the party, while colleagues across party lines applauded. With this move, APC now holds all three senatorial seats in Cross River, further consolidating its influence in the region.
Following Agom-Jarigbe’s defection, the Senate composition stands at: APC 76, PDP 25, Labour Party (LP) four, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) two, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) one apiece.
ACCORDING to a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of APC in Zamfara, Yusuf Gusau, Imad personally met the Minister of State, Defence, Bello Matawalle, in Abuja to announce his defection from the PDP to APC.
The statement added: “The Zamfara chapter of APC is again delighted to announce the coming into the party by one of Governor Dauda Lawal’s major campaign sponsors, Bashir Imad, the MD/CEO of Imad Petroleum Nigeria Ltd.”
Gusau further said Imad, while announcing his defection before the minister, quoted lack of focus and poor leadership, very essential ingredients in the provision of lasting dividends of democracy, as part of the major reasons he parted ways with the PDP, along with his followers.
MUTFWANG came to power on the PDP platform, having won all the legal battles involved in 2024. When asked if he consulted with his constituency, the PDP and other critical stakeholders in the state, the governor reportedly said he had not widely consulted, adding, however, that he had confided in a few people, including his leader, Senator Jonah Jang, and a few others.
