Eight Labour Party candidates, NNPP lawmaker join APC in Northern states

With less than 50 days to the commencement of the 2023 Nigeria general election, members, candidates, and a serving lawmaker are dumping their political parties for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano and Jigawa State.

Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday received Yusuf Babangida, a lawmaker in the state house of assembly and a member of New Nigeria People Party, (NNPP) to the APC.

Babangida represents Gwale Local Government at the Kano State House of Assembly. He is a strong loyalist of NNPP’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He accused the NNPP of disregarding the democratic ideals upon which his political journey has been anchored.

“An undue promotion of personal and familial relationship over and above value generation and inadequacy of political playing turf for upward progressive and many other reasons related to incoherence in pursuit of illogical aspiration,” Babangida said.

“The above reasons and amongst others, have offered me no choice but to abandon the NNPP and pursue the continuation of my political journey elsewhere.”

Elsewhere in Jigawa State, Governor Muhammad Badaru, received candidates of Labour Party contesting house of assembly elections to the APC on Friday.

The eight candidates are from Auyo, Kirikasamma, Bulangu, Malammadori, Kafin Hausa, Birniwa, Guri and Kaugama constituencies.

APC chairman in Jigawa State, Aminu Gumel, assured the new members that they would be accorded the rights and privileges enjoyed by old members.

Badaru’s media aide Habibu Kila in a statement said one of the defectors is a member of the northern presidential campaign council of the Labour Party who dumped the party and joined the APC.

The governor expressed appreciation to them and promised that they will be carried along in all party activities and urged them to be loyal party members, according to Kila.

“One of the defecting politicians, Muhammad Makinta, from Guri Local Government Area, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they joined the APC after they realized that the party in the state has more prospects,” Kila said.

Kila said Makinta assured the governor that they will work to ensure victory for APC’s candidates in the general election in their respective areas of influence.