Ismail Mudashir writes that hundreds of defecting members of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Peoples Democratic Party in Kano state were recently welcomed into the All Progressives Congress by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau.
The wave of defection rocking the New Nigerian People's Party (NNPP) has reached the political camp of the national leader of the party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Chieftains of the NNPP from Kwankwaso Ward in Madobi local government, where Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 general elections, hails from, are among the defectors at the weekend.
Similarly, hundreds of party stalwarts from Gwale, the local government area where Governor Abba hails, also joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A former councillor of Kwankwaso ward in Madobi LGA of Kano State, Yahaya Sa'idu Kwankwaso and other chieftains of the party in the LGA were received into the APC by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin on Saturday.
Hon. Abdulhamid Ahmad Diso, former deputy speaker of Gwale LGA (Diso Ward), Hon. Shu'aibu Isa Kubaraci, and their supporters defected from NNPP to APC.
They cited the impressive developmental strides of Senator Barau in Kano State as their reason for moving to APC.
On the PDP side, Hon. Garba Alhassan Dawaki led former councillors and members of the PDP from Dawakin Kudu LGA to the APC.
A gale of defection has rocked the ruling NNPP in Kano State since August as the party's stalwarts from across the 44 LGAs of the state joined the APC courtesy of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin. This is now tagged as Barau Tsunami in Kano State.
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Responding, Barau welcomed the defectors to the APC, the largest party in Africa.
He assured them they would be treated fairly and equally like all other party members, adding, "Nobody will be discriminated against. APC is a party for all, where everyone is given equal opportunity"
He said the massive defection of the NNPP members to the APC is a sign of things to come in 2027.
According to Barau: "As it is now, NNPP is unknown in Kano North. In Kano South, the APC would soon sweep away the remnants of the NNPP there. The party is only known in a few streets in Kano Central.
"We will work with you to fast-track Kano State's and the country's development in line with President Bola Tinubu's agenda to return the country to progress and prosperity".
-Mudashir, Media Aide to Deputy Senate President, writes from Kano.
