The Deputy Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Zubairu Massu, has defected from the All Progressives Congress to the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 10 PDP and three APC lawmakers also defected to the NNPP.
Others who defected from APC to NNPP are former members representing Kiru/Beji, former Executive Director of the Federal Housing Authority, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kofa Jibrin, and former presidential liaison officer to the house of representatives, Alhaji Abdulrahman Kawu-Samaila.
The former lawmaker Jibrin had earlier been a strong voice in promoting the presidential ambition of the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu.
The Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group, Abdulmummin Jibrin, has announced his resignation from the ruling APC on May 7, 2022.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Tinubu were said to have initially intervened in stopping Jibrin’s defection.
Similarly, former speaker, Kano assembly and member representing Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure federal constituency, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum, and member representing Dawakin-Tofa/Rimin-Gado and Tofa federal constituency, Alhaji Tijani Jobe, also defected from APC to the NNPP.
The lawmakers announced their decision in separate letters sent to the Speaker, Alhaji Hamisu Chidari, on Friday in Kano.
The Director of Press and Public Affairs of the assembly, Malam Uba Abdullahi, said in a statement that the speaker, after receiving the letters, officially congratulated them and wished them well.
According to the statement, Ali Ibrahim-Shanono, member, representing Bagwai/Shanono constituency, has also defected to the NNPP.
NAN reports that Friday’s defection now brings to 15, the number of NNPP lawmakers in the Kano assembly, reducing the number of APC lawmakers in the house to 24 and one PDP.