Katsina PDP, APC Suffer Major Setback as Members Join ADC

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State  yesterday  suffered a major setback as thousands of their supporters defected to African Democratic Congress (ADC).

 The PDP, APC and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) card-carrying members pitched tent with the ADC while unveiling the opposition party as their new political movement in Katsina.

A renowned grassroots mobiliser and former Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa; former Minister of Defence, Lawal Batagarawa, former Senator representing Daura Zone, Ahmed Babba Kaita and Hon. Ahmed Aminu Yar’Adua, were among PDP stalwarts that picked the ADC membership cards.

Former Special Adviser on Girl Child Education and Child Development to Ex-governor Aminu Bello Masari, Amina Lawal; former Director-General of the NYSC, Retired Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga and Hon. Babangida Talau of the NNPP also dumped their parties for the ADC.

They picked the ADC membership cards along with thousands of their supporters across the 34 local government areas of the state.

Speaking shortly after picking his ADC membership card, the former Minister of Defence, Lawal Batagarawa, attributed the hardship faced by Nigerians   to the economic policies of the APC-government at state and federal levels.

He described the nation’s security challenges, poverty and naira devaluation as the major consequences of the policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government. 

He said the policies of the Tinubu’s administration had set the Nigerian economic into a complete stamped with inflation rate and collapsed of many industries across the country.

He added that the consequences of the policies of the federal government had prompted some political gladiators from various political parties to join ADC in order to wrest power from the ruling APC in 2027.

He said: “After the swearing of the government of the federation and the state governments after the 2023 general elections, and seeing the consequences of the policies of the federal government, a number of senior political operators in Nigeria began to realize that we are in a very big trouble. 

“The immediate announcement of the policies of this administration set the Nigerian economic into a complete stamped, inflation rate, the naira depreciated and literally a lot of industries simply collapsed.”

In his remarks, the former Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, urged members of the ADC to work towards the sustainability and wide acceptance of the party rather than focusing on their self-ambitions.

He said members of the ADC should go to their communities and woo more members into the party to ensure that APC does not rule beyond four years. 

He reiterated that the ADC was out to reform Nigerian governance, tackle the prevailing security challenges and rising poverty faced by Nigerians, which he said, is orchestrated by the APC government.

Earlier, the state Chairman of ADC, Usman Musa-Wamba, called on residents of the state to go to their respective political wards and register as ADC members ahead of the forthcoming polls.