Kwankwaso, Atiku Dumped as NNPP Senatorial Candidate, PDP Chieftains, Others Defect to APC in Northern State

• Top members of the NNPP and the PDP in Zamfara state have defected to the ruling APC ahead of the 2023 general election
• The defectors were received by former Governor Abdulaziz Yari Talata Mafara on Monday, December 26
• Ibrahim Shinkafi, NNPP senatorial candidate, Aminu Kanoma, coordinator of the foundation for the actualisation of the PDP governorship candidate in 2023 were among the defectors

Talata Mafara, Zamfara state - The presidential aspiration of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has suffered a setback as some top chieftains of the New Nigerians Peoples’ Party (NNPP) defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara on Monday, December 26.

A statement by the media aide to former Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Dahiru Mafara, indicates that one of the defectors is Ibrahim Shinkafi, the NNPP senatorial candidate for Zamfara North Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections, Premium Times reported.

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Legit.ng gathers that the defectors also include the NNPP House of Representatives candidate for Shinkafi and Zurmi Federal Constituency, Suleiman Garba and the state treasurer of the party, Suleiman Galadi.

Marafa added that the NNPP chairmen in Kaura-Namoda and Zurmi local governments areas also defected to the APC.

The coordinator of the foundation for the actualisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in 2023, Aminu Kanoma, was also among the defectors.

“Secretary and Treasurer of the foundation, Aminu Saminu and Hajiya Umulkhairi Aminu, respectively, had also joined the APC”, Mafara added.

Yari welcomes defectors

Yari who is also the chairman of the APC governorship campaign council in Zamfara state received the defectors in Talata Mafara on Monday.

The former Zamfara governor was represented by the Chairman of the Contact and Mobilisation Sub-committee of the council, Musa Zubairu and state APC chairman, Tukur Danfulani.

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He lauded them for their vision and foresight of joining the ruling APC in the state and assured them of equal treatment with the other members of the party.

Ibrahim Shinkafi who spoke on behalf of the defectors said they decided to join the APC because of their conviction in Yari's leadership.

Two prominent lawmakers dump APC, defect to NNPP in Gombe

In another report, two serving lawmakers in Gombe state, Hamza Adamu and Bappah Usman Jurara, defected from the ruling APC to the opposition New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) ahead of the 2023 general election.

The two members of the Gombe State House of Assembly announced their defection on Saturday, December 10.

Legit.ng gathered that Adamu is representing Balanga South while Jurara is representing Funakaye South.

Source: Legit.ng