No fewer than 19,000 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Madagali Local Government of Adamawa State defected to the All Progressives Congress.
While receiving the defectors led by the former chief of staff to Governor Bala Ngilari, the state chairman of APC, Ibrahim Bilal, expressed confidence in APC of defeating incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri in 2023 with the caliber of people joining its fold.
“With this numbers of people that defect to APC from Governor home town is an indication that Gov Fintiri has lost his home base support.
“I am confident that APC will win 2023 general election in Adamawa state particularly governorship poll with calibre of people joining us from APC.
“I am assuring you people that my party will give you equal rights with others we don’t discriminate I urge you to work for the victory of our party candidates for us to claimed back our stolen mandate to enable us to return back to the Government House in Douragi,” He said
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, a two-time Madagali Local Government Chairman, Chubado Babi Tijjani, cited marginalisation as a reason for dumping the PDP for the APC.
Chubado said, “Politics is all about interest, we work for the victory of PDP in 2019 general election when my party formed government they forget about those of us that make thing happened including my supporters who are above 19,000”.
He added that they will work hard and make sure APC defeats PDP in the forthcoming general election in the state.
Meanwhile, the Madagali PDP critical stakeholders said they are not losing sleep over the defection of the former council chairman and his supporters.
The leader of the group, Abdu Umaru Jabu, at a press conference in Yola, said that chubado is not a committed party faithful and his defection will not affect the success of the party in the 2023 general election.
Madagali is the local government headquarter of incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri but has lost prominent politicians from PDP to APC as a result of the fallout of the 2019 governorship election that brought him to power.
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