The Peoples Democratic party , PDP in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State was on Saturday hit by mass defection as two thousand, five hundred and twelve of its card carrying members decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress , APC.
In a colorful political ceremony to receive the decampees in Shanga, headquarters of Shanga Local Government, Alhaji Yakubu Dala, who was the former PDP Chairman of the Local Government as well as the arrowhead of the decampees said he led 2,512 PDP members to join APC with all the Exco members, delegates, women and youth leaders in the area.
He attributed their decision to join APC because of the tenacity and good leadership style of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, as well as the cohesion within the party in Kebbi State .
” Before now, I was a member of PDP, but now decamped to APC . I can tell you that PDP is dead in Shanga and with our coming to APC , the party will continue to swell .
‘ I assure you that we joined the APC in good faith ,’ he averred.
The State APC Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Kana Zuru, accompanied by the Speaker, Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Abubakar Muhammad Lolo, the SSG, Babale Umar Yauri, the Kebbi North Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Sahabi Lolo and other chieftains of the party received the list and membership cards of 2,512 decampees from Alhaji Yakubu Dala, amidst ovation from the crowd.
Kana expressed gratitude with the coming of the new entrants into APC while assuring them of equal treatment in the party.
He also reminded people of Shanga of some of the developmental strides of Governor Bagudu in their area while calling for more support and loyalty to the Government .
He assured that those who left the party would still come back to join them.
The Speaker Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Sani Abubakar Lolo and the SSG, Babale Umar Yauri, while welcoming the decampees into APC , spoke of the need for all the party members to remain united in order to continue to provide development to the people of the state.
The SSG expressed his confidence about the efficacy of consultation in pacifying aggrieved members of APC who defected to the opposition to return.
‘ Incumbent administration in the state has adopted the option of carrot and benevolence to strengthening the unity, understanding and cohesion among APC members as well as being back aggrieved defectors back into the fold of APC’, he averred.
Alhaji Isyaku Nasarawa, an Adviser to Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Alhaji Muhammad Shanga described the new entrants as a ‘ big catch’ to APC in Shanga.
He extolled the efforts of the PA to the Governor, Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro ( Enabo), in the development of politics in Kebbi.
In their separate remarks, Hajiya Hadiza Ahmad, Zonal Women Leader, Northwest, accompanied by Hajiya Tsahara Bawa, former Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs, who represented the State APC Women Leader, Hajiya Aisha Gunabi renewed the confidence of people of Shanga that APC would still remain the ruling party in the State and Nigeria at large.
Hajiya Hadiza Ahmad and Hajiya Tsahara Bawa made a particular apppeal for women to be given special attention in APC in view of significant role they play during election .
‘ We constitute 70 per cent of the voting population in Nigeria , we should be accorded with respect and more political offices “she said.
Earlier, the Chairman of APC in Shanga local Government, Alhaji Babangida Bakin Tudu explained the significance of receiving the decampees from PDP, owing it to the hard work of Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro (Enabo) .
He promised equal treatment to the decampees in the APC fold in the local Government.
Other personalities who spoke at the event were State Chairman of Local Government Service Commission , Alhaji Abubakar Nayaya, the APC Zonal Vice Chairman, Kebbi South, Alhaji Zaki Yauri and the APC Zonal Vice Chairman, Kebbi North, Alhaji Sahabi Lolo among others.
Just as the event was about to end , another set of decampees from Democratic Peoples Party , (DPP) led by Alhaji Basiru Mai- DPP dumped their party to join APC at the event .
Notable personalities who attended the political ceremony to receive the decampees from PDP and DPP include the Speaker, Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Abubakar Muhammad Lolo, Secretary to the State Government Babale Umar Yauri, Kebbi North Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Sahabi Lolo, Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro (Enabo) and other chieftains of the party in the state.
Others were Commissioners, Special Advisers, Local Government Chairmen , local Government Party Chairmen , Heads of Area Development Councils and a host of other personalities, as well as hundreds of party supporters .
