President Bola Tinubu and VP Kashim Shettima during APC campaign rally
President Bola Tinubu has officially welcomed a group of prominent defectors from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a major political development for Southern Kaduna.
The defection of over 10 influential figures was celebrated at a grand rally held in Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a Local Government Area, on Saturday.
The event was attended by Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who represented the president and received the defectors on behalf of the APC.
Among the notable figures who switched allegiance to the APC were Senator Sunday Katung (PDP-Kaduna South), Representative Daniel Amos (PDP-Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency), and Ali Kalat, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Jema’a Constituency.
Gbajabiamila hailed the defections as a clear sign of the growing popularity of the APC in both Kaduna State and across Nigeria.
He also commended Governor Uba Sani for his outstanding leadership, urging him to continue efforts aimed at further uniting and strengthening the party in the region.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Abbas Tajudeen, also spoke at the rally, describing the event as historic.
He pointed out that Southern Kaduna, long seen as a PDP stronghold, was now embracing the APC, signaling the end of the PDP’s hold on the region.
“For decades, they claimed ownership of your loyalty, your dreams, and your destiny. But today, that claim has ended, and the people have reclaimed their power,” Tajudeen said.
Governor Uba Sani added that the defections marked a new era in the politics of both Southern Kaduna and Nigeria at large.
He reiterated his commitment to governance based on fairness, justice, and development for all citizens, regardless of their political or ethnic background.
“Elections may divide us, but governance must unite us,” Sani emphasized, stressing the importance of service delivery and development.
In their speeches, Katung and Amos explained that their decision to join the APC was motivated by the tangible progress they had witnessed under President Tinubu’s administration, especially in Southern Kaduna. They assured the APC leadership that their move had been thoroughly consulted with their constituents, who supported the shift as a means of attracting more development and opportunities to the region. Both lawmakers expressed their determination to strengthen the APC in the area and beyond.
With this latest wave of defections, Southern Kaduna—once considered a PDP stronghold—is now largely under the influence of the APC, signaling a significant shift in the political landscape of the region.
