The All Progressives Congress (APC) has received a fresh wave of opposition defectors from Sokoto, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kano and Plateau states. The defectors, drawn from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), were received by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. This development reflects growing support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Yilwatda, the defectors have made the right decision by joining a political platform committed to building a stronger, more united and prosperous Nigeria. He cited President Tinubu’s consistent support for power rotation and political inclusion, including his backing of northern political leaders during previous election cycles. Tinubu supported former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in 2007 and backed former National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu’s candidacy under the Action Congress of Nigeria in 2011.
Yilwatda also recalled Tinubu’s support for former President Muhammadu Buhari’s emergence in 2015 and his re-election in 2019. He argued that the president had repeatedly placed national unity above personal political ambition. The APC chairman dismissed claims that the Tinubu administration had neglected northern Nigeria, pointing to ongoing road, railway, gas and other infrastructure projects across the region.
The APC chairman cited several major infrastructure investments, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road, the Kano-Maiduguri road, the Kano-Maradi railway project and the Kaduna-Kano rail line. He also mentioned road projects linking Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi, as well as plans to expand gas infrastructure. These projects, he argued, would support agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and electricity generation.
Yilwatda defended the administration’s economic policies, insisting that the government had addressed substantial financial obligations inherited from previous administrations. He cited payments to foreign airlines, investors and power-sector operators, which had helped restore confidence in the Nigerian economy. The APC chairman warned that proposals to reintroduce fuel subsidies or provide substantial fuel discounts could impose an unsustainable financial burden on the country.
APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, welcomed the new members to the party’s national secretariat, describing the ruling party as a structured organisation with the capacity to mobilise Nigerians for national development. He said the APC’s strength lay in its organisational structure and the experience of its National Working Committee members. Basiru maintained that the 2027 elections would be a contest between those seeking to sustain the country’s progress and politicians who wanted to return Nigeria to economic difficulties.
Dr Princess Aslam Aliyu, founder of Babatinuubu Fisa Bililai 2027, announced that she had facilitated the return of 23 opposition candidates to the APC within two weeks. Aliyu said 12 ADC House of Assembly candidates had returned to the ruling party earlier, while another 11 candidates from the ADC and NDC had now been presented for acceptance into the APC. She claimed that the candidacies of the 11 new entrants could be verified through the Independent National Electoral Commission’s records and portal.
Key points
- The APC received a fresh wave of opposition defectors from five states, reflecting growing support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
- The defectors cited the APC’s commitment to national unity, economic progress and the implementation of the administration’s policies as reasons for their decision to join the party.
- The APC leadership dismissed claims that the Tinubu administration had neglected northern Nigeria, pointing to ongoing infrastructure projects across the region.
