The All Progressives Congress (APC) has bolstered its ranks with the defection of four Kaduna State House of Assembly lawmakers, five House of Representatives members, and thousands of their supporters during a mega rally held on Saturday in Kaduna.
Following the defections, the APC now holds 13 Kaduna seats in the House of Representatives, leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with only three. In the Kaduna State House of Assembly, APC membership has risen to 26, while PDP members number eight.
The rally, held at Murtala Square, was attended by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal, North West Development Commission Chairman Lawal Yakawada, and thousands of APC supporters.
Governor Uba Sani assured the new members that the APC operates as one inclusive family, where all members—new or longstanding—enjoy equal privileges. “What matters most is your ability to engage with the grassroots and represent your constituents effectively,” he emphasized.
Recalling that APC had only four representatives from Kaduna in 2023, Governor Sani highlighted the party’s growth to 14 members in the House of Representatives. He confidently declared, “Today in Kaduna, we don’t have any opposition. I promised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu months ago that APC would secure 80 percent of the vote, but now I’m raising that estimate to 95 percent in 2027.”
Sani attributed the influx of elected officials to APC’s focus on justice, fairness, and inclusivity. “Kaduna is Nigeria’s most diverse state, and we have used that diversity as our strength. Since we took office, we have not experienced a single ethno-religious crisis—an unprecedented achievement,” he said.
He added, “We work as one family. Politics is about unity and serving the people. Poverty does not discriminate by religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation. Our priority is Kaduna State.”
The governor also noted that development efforts have been evenly distributed across Kaduna’s 23 local government areas and its three geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the event, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda described the party as “the promised land” for Nigerian politicians and praised President Tinubu and Governor Sani for their achievements, deserving a second term.
House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas highlighted APC’s unprecedented political dominance in Kaduna. “Whether in Zone 1, Zone 2, or Zone 3, APC is the party to beat. We’ve never been this strong before,” he declared to the enthusiastic crowd.
On behalf of the defectors, Honourable Husseini Jalo thanked Governor Sani and President Tinubu for their leadership, predicting that Kaduna State is now effectively a one-party state and that both leaders will be re-elected.
The federal lawmakers who defected from PDP to APC include Sadiq Ango (Sabon Gari), Andulkarim Husseini Ahmad (Kaduna South), Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi (Ikara/Kubau), and Hussaini Jalo (Igabi).
Notable additional defectors include former Senators Danjuma Laah (PDP), Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi (NNPP), and Shehu Sani (PDP), as well as former Governor Muktar Ramalan Yero and Hon. Saidu Adamu, the PDP State Secretary.
