Mass defection hits Jigawa as APC, NNPP, PDP members move to ADC 

A wave of mass defections has hit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State as prominent politicians alongside their supporters have defected to the main opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a move seen as a major blow to the parties.

The development is a fallout of the ongoing political realignment across the Country in preparation for political positioning towards the 2027 General elections.

According to sources, the mass defection is due to dissatisfaction with the recently concluded Congresses, in which many felt sidelined.

On Sunday, the quiet streets of Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, were transformed into a sea of humanity as thousands of supporters and key politicians from various parties converged on the city for a mass gathering of the formal reception of Sabo Muhammad Nakudu, a two-term Senator representing Jigawa South West Senatorial District, who officially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) together with many other defectors amid a show of strength and solidarity, marking a significant milestone in the party’s growth in the State.

Nakudu, who was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the 9th Assembly, officially resigned from the APC on Friday and joined the ADC on Sunday.

Speaking briefly after accepting his ADC membership card amid the gathering, Nakudu said, “I am grateful to my supporters for turning out en masse to receive me into my new party,” adding that “I promise to work towards a greater Jigawa and the country at large.”

Nakudu, who contested against Governor Umar Namadi during the 2023 Governorship primaries on the APC platform, is expected to run for governor on the ADC ticket in 2027.

Aminu Ringim, a three-time Jigawa State gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, 2019 and NNPP in 2023, also defected to the main opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Sunday.

Ringim, an ally of former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, said he would soon formally join the ADC in a similar mass gathering in his hometown in Ringim, Ringim Local Government Area.

Similarly, Ubale Shitu, a notable chieftain, was also spotted at the venue where defectors joined the ADC, accompanied by hundreds of supporters chanting various political slogans during the event held in the State capital.

Ex-Senator Shittu represented Jigawa North-East Senatorial District at the 8th National Assembly on the PDP platform before moving to APC, where he assisted in campaigning for incumbent Jigawa Governor, Namadi, after losing his Senatorial ticket in 2019.

Earlier, Ahmad Mahmud Gumel, Jigawa State ADC coordinator and former deputy governor under Sule Lamido’s PDP regime, welcomed Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu and other defectors to the party.

He described the defection as a significant boost to the party’s growth and a testament to its increasing popularity in the state.

Gumel praised Nakudu’s decision to join the ADC, citing the senator’s experience and influence as valuable assets to the party.

He also thanked supporters and other politicians who turned out for the event, saying their presence demonstrated a shared commitment to building a stronger opposition in Jigawa State.

Reacting to the development, the Jigawa State PDP’s PRO, Umar Kyari, dismissed the defections of any serious members of their party to ADC, saying the party doesn’t have issues with them. “They’re (ADC) just a group of political jokers seeking relevance”.

Kyari further challenged the ADC and any serious politicians eyeing a contest in Jigawa to do so in a recognised party. “If they want to test their power, come out and contest, we will show them what politics is,” he said.

Also reacting to the defection on Monday, the ruling APC in the State, through party Spokesperson, Bashir Kundu, dismissed the defectors, saying they are driven by selfish desires rather than the welfare of the Jigawa masses. “They are chasing personal interests, not the public good,” he said.

Kundu pointed to Governor Namadi’s transformative efforts in Jigawa, saying the governor’s work speaks for itself.

However, the APC spokesperson also played down the impact of the defections, saying, “In politics, you relate with anyone and can be left by anyone.”

He hinted at counter-defections, predicting that APC would soon see a bigger influx of politicians from across Jigawa joining the party under Governor Namadi’s leadership.

Further efforts by the correspondent to get comments from the leadership of NNPP on the defections proved abortive as calls to the known telephone number of the party were not going while attempts to reach NNPP officials were also unsuccessful.

As of the time of filing this story, neither APC nor NNPP in Jigawa State had commented on the defection.