Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
No fewer than 10,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Redemption Party(PRP), the New Nigerian People’s Party(NNPP) thursday decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi state in the build up to the October 17, 2020 Local Government Election in the State.
Our Correspondent reports that the APC decampees who were received by the state Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed at the closing ceremony of the campaign rally for PDP candidates in the forthcoming Local Government Elections in the state held at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Square, Bauchi Thursday also handed over their APC membership cards, brooms and posters and replaced them with that of the PDP.
The Governor who welcomed the decampees to the ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP, solicited for votes to all the PDP candidates in the forthcoming councils election scheduled for 17th of this month.
He reaffirmed the determination of his administration to open up the state for massive transformation in critical sectors of the state’s economy.
Governor Bala Mohammed who recalled that his administration had inherited a lot of challenges facing critical sectors of the economy, said so far, the administration has succeeded in tackling major challenges.
He announced his readiness to do more and to perform better than before in order to deliver on his campaign promises of overcoming the challenges affecting the progress and development of the state.
“We are very grateful to Almighty Allah and to all people of Bauchi state for giving us the opportunity, we welcome all of you who are coming to our party in your number and we will be with you as our brothers.”
“Today the decampees have realised that we have done so much and we are ready to do more and to perform better than before.”
“We inherited a state that is in need of state of emergency because of the numerous challenges confronting critical sectors and we are now working towards addressing them.”
The Governor who welcomed decampees to the ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP, solicited for votes to all the PDP candidates in the forthcoming councils election scheduled for 17th of this month.
Governor Bala Mohammed used the medium to thank ulamas and traditional rulers for their support to his administration and called on all to rally round his administration for effective service delivery.
The State PDP Chairman, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam had earlier noted with satisfaction, the massive participation of supporters at the campaign rally and attributed it to the outstanding performance of Governor Bala Mohammed.
“Your Excellency, we thank you for fulfilling our campaign promises of providing dividends of democracy to our people, we have seen a lot of positive changes in our state.”
In a remark, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, said with the performance of the Governor, PDP will emerge victorious in the Local Government elections and described the conduct of the election as a welcome development and historic.
Senator Abdul Ningi assured those who decamped to the ruling People’s Democratic Party in the state that the party will provide them with a level playing ground to assist in the execution of developmental projects.
Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Dr Sama’ila Dahuwa said they have decided to decamped to the PDP because of the exemplary leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed and pledged their loyalty and support to the party.
Also speaking,Hon Baffa Aliyu Misau the leader of the decampees, who contested the senate under PRP in the 2019 general election said they were dissatisfied by the approach of APC policies and other political parties where they belong in the past.
He said they decided to join the PDP to contribute to the development of Bauchi state and to support the visionary policies and programs of Governor Bala Muhammad.
“We are decamping to PDP for the development of Bauchi state PDP and Nigeria as a whole” bappa Aliyu noted.
“Our stay in APC and other political parties have not been encouraging. APC policies and approach have not encouraged democracy and governance in the area councils,” he said. END
