By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, no fewer than 7000 members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto state have defected to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC).
The defectors who were from Wurno and Kware, the local governments of two PDP stalwarts, Sokoto State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt Hon. Manya Achida (PDP) and the incumbent deputy governor, Manir Dan'Iya (PDP) said they were unsatisfied with the leadership of the party both at all levels.
He received the over 1,500 PDP defectors in Achida village of Wurno and another 4000 in other places of the local government, in addition to the 3000 PDP in kware local government.
Addressing these defectors in each of the local government, Sokoto state, the APC gubernatorial candidate, Hon. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, assured them that the party is home for all.
While in Achida, the village of APC State chairman, Hon Sadiq Achida, the Wurno local government APC chairman, Alhaji Musa Marnona, explained that they will continue to work hard for the success of the party both in the local government area, state and Nigeria.
Speaking at Gidan Rugga Ward of Kware local government as he received PDP defectors to APC, Hon Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto promised to ensure unimaginable economic empowerment, infrastructural development and implementation of peoples-oriented policies if elected governor come 2023.
Ahmad Sokoto however addressed the jubilant defectors on behalf of the state party leader and former governor of the state and now Senator, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
He noted that the current government of the PDP in Sokoto has lost touch with the grassroots. The APC guber candidate decried that the state is rated low in all indices of human living under their watch.
Continuing, he said the state PDP led government has so impoverished the people to an annoying point that Sokoto has pathetically become the poverty capital of Nigeria.
Agreeing with the submissions of the State APC governorship candidate, some of the defectors who spoke on their reasons for the defection, said the PDP lacks vision, direction and the political vitality to bring the needed prosperity to the state.
A statement signed by Bashar Abubakar, the Special Adviser, New Media to Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, listed other state APC leaders that graced the epoch making defection to include the APC Deputy Gubernatorial candidate, Hon Idris Muhammad Gobir, APC Sokoto East Senatorial Candidate, Alhaji Ibrahim Lamido Isa and former Ambassador Abubakar Shehu Wurno amongst other dignitaries. NNL.
