By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
A former Chief of Staff to ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Bashir Sa’idu, says more than 200,000 members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State.
Sa’idu made the claim on Saturday in Zaria while leading a group of defectors who were received into the APC by Governor Uba Sani.
He attributed the defection to internal leadership disputes within the ADC, alleging that the party’s structure and candidate selection processes had been taken over by outsiders, undermining internal democracy.
According to him, the disagreements prompted members of his group to return to the APC, where they previously belonged.
Sa’idu declared that the ADC had lost its political relevance in Kaduna and pledged that the defectors would mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Sani and the re-election of House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen in 2027.
He also appealed to the governor and the Speaker to facilitate the rehabilitation of the Zaria-Pambegua-Saminaka Road, citing its deteriorating condition and the hardship it causes commuters and residents.
Receiving the defectors, Governor Sani described the development as a significant boost to APC unity in the state. He assured the new members of equal treatment and opportunities within the party.
“Our APC party has no distinction between those who came today and those who came yesterday. We treat everyone equally as one family,” the governor said.
Sani also said Kaduna State was targeting three million votes for Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, noting that the state had more than 4.4 million registered voters. He added that the APC would intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the polls.
The governor said political stakeholders had resolved their differences and should now concentrate on development. He also stated that Tinubu had promised to support Tajudeen’s return as Speaker for a second term.
The APC National Vice Chairman for the Northwest, Alhaji Datti Babawo, said the turnout at the event reflected confidence in the Tinubu administration and expressed optimism about the party’s electoral prospects in 2027.
The event was attended by Tajudeen, former Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero and other political leaders.
The claim that more than 200,000 ADC members defected to the APC was made by Sa’idu and was not independently verified in the report.
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