Khadijat Saidu, Birning Kebbi
Gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Atiku MaiAhu alongside 34 candidates contesting for various political positions including Senatorial, House of Representatives, candidates, and the 225-ward chairmen and executive have withdrawn from the contest, collapsing the structure into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi state.
Receiving the decampees at the APC campaign Council Secretariat in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu expressed excitement over the development.
The Progressive Governor’s Forum Chairman, commended the bold step taken by the defectors in joining APC, saying it was for the development of the state and for the progress of the party.
According to the governor, in a democracy, everybody is important in ensuring the success of the party.
He cited the example of China and India, two countries in the world with the highest number of people who maintained unity and progress of their people in spite of their large populations.
“Take for instance, China has the highest population, but operates a one-party system yet they are progressing and are united under a one-party system.
“Division will not take us anywhere, division will only retard our development. It is the ideology of APC in Kebbi to embrace all.
“We are not too many in the party as our huge number will be our strength and advantageous to vote for our chosen candidates and move the party and state forward.
Bagudu congratulated the party state Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Kana Zuru and the DG campaign Council, Alhaji Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, and all stakeholders who played significant roles in convincing them to join APC.
In his remarks, the APC gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu also expressed immense happiness over the development.
He assured them that APC would treat them as equal members of the party.
“You made the right decision by Joining APC, I really commend your foresight in taking such a good decision,’ he said.
The DG campaign Council of the party, Alhaji Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, and the State party Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Kana Zuru all corroborated what Governor Bagudu and Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu said, assuring the decampees of equal treatment in APC.
Earlier, the SDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Kebbi State, who defected to APC, Alhaji Atiku Mai-Ahu, said all the entire candidates and the state party executives across the 225 wards had defected to APC.
“We have candidates contesting for 22 state house of assembly positions, seven candidates contesting for the house of representatives, and three others contesting for the senatorial position in the state as well as my running mate, Alhaji Bello Tilli.
“We have also presented the letters of our withdrawal from SDP to APC to INEC.”
Mai-Ahu, who described the decision to cross over to APC as based on ideology said: “We made the decision myself, my running mate, the Senatorial and House of Representative candidates that we have withdrawn from our contest to join APC for development and progress of our state.
“And we members of SDP, we have a common ideology with APC, that ideology is the leadership of inclusiveness.
“So, our decision is based on this ideology and that is our decision. So, we would continue to work 24 hours to ensure Kebbi state is developed”, and ensure APC emerges at the coming general election.” he added.
Highlights of the occasion were the distraction of their SDP membership cards
