ADC Assembly Candidates In Zamfara , Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Defect To APC
By Sunday Etuka
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has received House of Assembly candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba and Jigawa states who defected to the ruling party to support President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors, led by Dr Princess Aslam Aliyu Gambiyar from Zamfara State, were received on Sunday by the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Gambiyar said their decision was informed by conviction that President Tinubu can take Nigeria to greater heights under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She said they were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the President remains the right candidate to lead the country and that they had decided to leave the ADC to work for his second term.
Receiving them, Yilwatda commended the defectors for placing national interest above personal political ambition and welcomed them into the progressive fold.
“We have young people who are joining us in the progressive fold. I am happy that you resigned and presented your resignation letters to your wards. The job now is to go back to your wards and start work,” he said.
The National Chairman described their decision to relinquish individual ambitions in support of what they consider a larger national interest as noteworthy, assuring them that the APC would provide a platform to contribute meaningfully to the party and the country.
Yilwatda,in a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information, Abimbola Tooki, used the occasion to dismiss narratives that the Federal Government is indifferent to the development of Northern Nigeria, citing the scale of ongoing infrastructure projects across the region.
According to him, such projects include the Abuja Kano Maiduguri corridor of about 1000 kilometres, the coastal road, Jos Akwanga, Kwara Niger, Sokoto Kebbi, Laila Sokoto and Kano Daura roads, among others.
He questioned calls for reversal of some of the administration’s economic reforms, particularly the return of fuel subsidy, noting that such reversal could affect ongoing projects and programmes.
He asked whether returning to the previous subsidy regime would mean stopping major road construction, gas related investments and programmes such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, stressing that the government must remain focused on policies that address poverty and create sustainable opportunities.
Yilwatda noted that before the current reforms, many state governments, especially in the North, struggled to meet salary obligations.
He also emphasized the inclusive character of the APC and the Federal Government, citing the presence of Nigerians from different parts of the country serving as commissioners, legislators and local government chairmen in Lagos State as an example of political inclusion.
He said President Tinubu has demonstrated an approach that accommodates Nigerians across regional and religious lines, describing him as a technocrat from a religiously tolerant family who provides opportunities irrespective of background.
The National Chairman assured the new members that they were joining a large political family where their contributions would be recognised, adding that their decision would be communicated to President Tinubu.
He said he would also recommend them to governors in their respective states for appropriate roles in mobilisation and grassroots activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He urged them to return to their wards and communities to commence grassroots mobilisation, noting that joining the APC is about becoming active participants in building the party and supporting its programmes.
The defection is seen as part of growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections as politicians reassess platforms and alliances.
