No fewer than 500 members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday, pledging their loyalty to their new political home.

They were formally received by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, who assured them of full integration and equal treatment within the APC.

Umar, son of former governor and immediate past APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, praised the defectors for what he described as their “courage to see the truth and join the APC, the strongest party in Africa.”

The reception ceremony coincided with the launch of the first phase of an empowerment programme initiated by Umar. The event, held at the Armani Event Centre in Kano, featured the distribution of large-scale agricultural and economic support items to over 3,000 APC supporters across the state.

A statement issued in Abuja by Edwin Olofu on behalf of Dr. Ganduje said the beneficiaries were drawn from all 44 local government areas of Kano State. Items distributed included tricycles, mini-trucks, fertilisers, herbicides, improved seedlings, solar-powered irrigation pumps, agro-processing machines and other modern agricultural tools aimed at boosting productivity and promoting self-reliance.

Addressing the crowd, Engr. Umar described the exercise as “the tip of the iceberg,” adding that more phases of the empowerment initiative were underway, with special focus on youths and women.

He said his drive to assist people across the state—not only in his Tofa/Dawakin-Tofa/Rimingado Federal Constituency—stemmed from a desire to uplift communities and strengthen the APC’s support base.

“We have already begun plans for the next phase of this empowerment. This is not the end. Any APC member who did not receive support today should not lose hope; your turn will come,” he assured.

Umar urged beneficiaries not to sell the items, stressing that they were provided to improve livelihoods and enhance agricultural output. He also acknowledged several APC leaders in Kano as his inspiration, including his father, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Murtala Sule Garo, Abba Bichi and Mariya Bunkure.

Beneficiaries who spoke described the intervention as timely and impactful. One of them, identified as Aminu Ahmad, who received fertiliser, said the support would help revive farming activities hampered by rising input costs.

“High fertiliser prices reduced our farming output. Today, we feel rescued, and our morale has been boosted. Engr. Umar is truly following in the footsteps of Baba Ganduje,” he said.

Another beneficiary, who received a solar-powered irrigation pump, said it was the first time his community had benefited from such an initiative.

“This is the first of its kind. We thank Abba Ganduje, and we will repay good with good,” he said.