Defection Wave Hits ADC, NDC As APC Welcomes New Members From Five States

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has received a fresh wave of opposition defectors from Sokoto, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kano and Plateau states, with the party’s leadership declaring that the development reflects growing support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The defectors, drawn from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), were received by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The development comes as the ruling party intensifies its political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, with its leaders portraying the defections as a rejection of opposition parties and an endorsement of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Speaking during the reception on Friday in Abuja, Yilwatda welcomed the new members, describing their decision to join the APC as a commitment to national unity, economic progress and the continued implementation of the administration’s policies.

He said President Tinubu had consistently supported power rotation and political inclusion, citing his backing of northern political leaders during previous election cycles.

According to him, Tinubu supported former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in 2007, backed former National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu’s candidacy under the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011, and played a major role in the emergence of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

The APC chairman also recalled Tinubu’s support for Buhari’s re-election in 2019, arguing that the president had repeatedly placed national unity above personal political ambition.

Yilwatda said the new entrants had made the right decision by joining a political platform he described as committed to building a stronger, more united and prosperous Nigeria.

He dismissed claims that the Tinubu administration had neglected northern Nigeria, pointing to ongoing road, railway, gas and other infrastructure projects across the region.

According to him, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, the Kano-Maiduguri road, the Kano-Maradi railway project and the Kaduna-Kano rail line were among the major infrastructure investments demonstrating the administration’s commitment to the North.

He also cited road projects linking Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi, as well as plans to expand gas infrastructure, arguing that the projects would support agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and electricity generation.

The APC chairman further maintained that infrastructure development in the South, including the coastal road and deep-sea ports, would also benefit northern businesses by improving access to export markets and creating new trade opportunities for landlocked neighbouring countries.

He said the integration of railway and port infrastructure would provide northern entrepreneurs with better opportunities to transport goods and establish industries capable of serving regional markets.

Yilwatda also defended the administration’s economic policies, insisting that the government had addressed substantial financial obligations inherited from previous administrations.

He cited payments to foreign airlines, investors and power-sector operators, arguing that the settlement of outstanding obligations had helped restore confidence in the Nigerian economy.

The APC chairman warned that proposals to reintroduce fuel subsidies or provide substantial fuel discounts through government intervention could impose an unsustainable financial burden on the country.

He argued that any policy requiring enormous public expenditure without a clear funding source could undermine capital investment and return the country to an era of excessive recurrent spending.

Yilwatda also criticised the privatisation of major national assets under previous administrations, citing the sale of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria and steel companies as examples of what he described as the mismanagement of Nigeria’s economic resources.

He urged the defectors to work with the APC to sustain what he described as the country’s progress, adding that the party was open to Nigerians committed to national development.

Earlier, the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru welcomed the new members to the party’s national secretariat, named after former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the ruling party as a structured organisation with the capacity to mobilise Nigerians for national development.

He said the APC’s strength lay in its organisational structure and the experience of its National Working Committee members, including former senators, members of the House of Representatives, commissioners, professors and Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

The national secretary maintained that the 2027 elections would be a contest between those seeking to sustain the country’s progress and politicians who, in his view, wanted to return Nigeria to the economic difficulties of previous years.

He defended the removal of fuel subsidies, insisting that the government would not return to the former subsidy regime.

He also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), claiming that more than 1.4 million students had benefited from the initiative.

According to him, the programme covers students’ fees and provides a monthly upkeep allowance of ₦20,000, offering financial support to students from less privileged backgrounds.

The APC scribe said the administration’s policies in education, foreign exchange transactions and public finance demonstrated its commitment to reforming the economy and improving opportunities for Nigerians.

He urged the new members to remain committed to the party’s objectives, describing their decision to join the APC as an endorsement of its vision for national development.

On her part, Dr Princess Aslam Aliyu, founder of Babatinuubu Fisa Bililai 2027, announced that she had facilitated the return of 23 opposition candidates to the APC within two weeks.

Aliyu said 12 ADC House of Assembly candidates had returned to the ruling party about two weeks earlier, while another 11 candidates drawn from the ADC and NDC had now been presented for acceptance into the APC.

She claimed that the candidacies of the 11 new entrants could be verified through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s records and portal.

Describing the development as evidence of growing confidence in Tinubu’s leadership, Aliyu said the defections demonstrated that the APC remained attractive to politicians preparing for the 2027 elections.

She challenged opposition leaders to demonstrate comparable political influence, declaring that the ruling party had gained an advantage through the return of the candidates.

Aliyu subsequently presented the 11 candidates to the APC leadership for formal acceptance into the party.

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