Over 13,000 members of the All Progressives Congress, on Saturday, dumped the ruling party and joined the Peoples Democratic Party, in Southern Kaduna.
Treasurer of the opposition party, North-West, Hon. Rabiu Bakori, who formally received the new members on behalf of the North-West Zonal PDP Chairman, Sen. Hayyatu Gwarzo, in Zonkwa, said for the party to win election come 2023 all hands must be on deck.
“The ruling party had on 2015 promised to enhance security, but have ended up enhancing fears in the minds of Nigerians. Kaduna residents must work hard to ensure that PDP wins at the polls in order to ensure justice, fairness and true democratic values,” He said.
On his part, the Kaduna State PDP Chairman, Hon. Felix Hassan Hyat, described the defection as symbolic and historical, adding that it would take the PDP to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, in 2023.
He explained that the only PDP stronghold in the entire North-west Zone was in Southern Kaduna.
According to him, “no other party, except the PDP has ever won an election in Southern Kaduna, and come 2023 no other party will win,” Hyat vowed.
He lamented that Southern Kaduna under the ruling party, had experienced infrastructural deficit and high level of insecurity, noting that the region only enjoyed federal appointments and infrastructural development during the PDP administration.
Also, the PDP National Youth Leader, Hon. Mohammed Kadede, said the new members realised that PDP was the party that Nigerians needed come 2023, to rescue them from the APC’s regime.
Kadede expressed confidence that the PDP will win the elections from the state level to the national level come 2023.
The PDP’s Jema’a Sanga House of Reps candidate, Hon. Dan Amos, maintained that the Labour Party candidate in the state, who is from Southern Kaduna region, will not win even his polling unit.
According to him, the Labour Party candidate, has committed a blunder to the people of Southern Kaduna and the people are ready to prove him wrong on the election day.
The defectors, led by former Senior Special Assistant to the Kaduna State Governor, Hon. Wilson Yangye, who were received amid funfair and jubilation, promised to mobilise more voters that will lead the party to victory.
Yangye, who was instrumental in ensuring the ruling party won the local government elections in one of the PDP’s stronghold had asked for forgiveness for the role he played.
He disclosed that they left the party, citing lack of inclusion, justice and fairness.