Kebbi SDP guber, other candidates defect to APC

Ahead of the February 25 general elections, yesterday the Kebbi State Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Atiku MaiAhu, along with 34 other candidates contesting for various political positions, including senatorial and House of Representatives candidates have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Receiving the decampees at the APC Campaign Council Secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, the state governor, Abubakar Bagudu, expressed excitement over the development.

Bagudu commended the bold step taken by the defectors, saying it was for development and progress of the state and party.

According to the governor, in democracy, everybody is important in ensuring success of the party.

He said: “Division will not take us anywhere; division will only retard our development. It is the ideology of APC in Kebbi to embrace all.

“We are not too many in the party as our huge number will be our strength and advantage to vote our preferred candidates, and then move the party and state forward.

“We are praying that one day, all our political parties in the state will be collapsed into one formidable party to move the state forward.”

Bagudu congratulated the party Chairman, Abubakar Kana Zuru, and the Director General (DG) of the campaign council, Saidu Dakingari, former governor of the state and stakeholders, who played significant role in convincing them to join APC.

In his remarks, the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Nasir Gwandu, also expressed happiness over the development.

He assured them that APC would treat them as equal members of the party.

He said: “You made the right decision by joining APC. I commend your foresight in taking such decision.”

Dakingari and Zuru also assured the decampees of fair treatment in the party.

Earlier, the SDP governorship candidate, who defected to APC, said: “We have candidates contesting for 22 state assembly positions, seven candidates contesting for House Of Representatives and three others contesting for senatorial positions in the state, as well as my running mate, Bello Tilli. We have also presented letters of our withdrawal from SDP to APC.”