,,,,,Sam Abenemi, Ogunmola, others follow.
By Maryam Gulma Abukabar in Lokoja.
Former Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Ichala Wada, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a development political observers said is capable of marking a major gain for the party ahead of future political contests in the state.
Our Correspondent report that the APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, led a high-powered delegation to the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre on Monday in Lokoja, where Wada and several other PDP stalwarts were presented with APC party insignia, signaling their formal induction into the ruling party.
Addressing the gathering, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, described the defection as “a symbolic cross-over in the journey towards national unity and progress.”
He praised Wada and other decampees for choosing “unity over suspicion,” saying their decision opens a new chapter in Kogi’s political landscape.
“As an elder statesman, Captain Wada’s arrival, along with other political heavyweights, further solidifies the APC’s strength in Kogi,” Tinubu said, adding that the party values hard work and will not take the trust of the new members for granted.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo also welcomed the decampees, declaring that, “The opposition is being crushed in this country.
“Kogi is now fully APC,” the governor declared thanking party leaders and stakeholders for making the defection a historic event.
In his remarks, Captain Wada said he crossed over to the APC because of the party’s progressive ideals and its efforts at economic stabilization under President Tinubu.
“The APC is leading Nigeria in the right direction. My supporters and I are committed to contributing to the development of our communities and the nation,” he said.
The former governor first received his APC membership card on Saturday at his residence in Odu, Dekina Local Government Area, before the formal presentation in Lokoja. Wada served as Governor of Kogi State between January 2012 and January 2016.
Other notable defectors include Rt.Hon Imam Alfa, Hon. Usman Mamman Bello, Hon. Moses Ododo, Chief Sam Adeyemi, Hon. Bode Ogunmola, and Hon. Hassan Alfa, among others.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
