At least 15 key officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Among those who defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday in the nation’s capital, Abuja, were state and zonal executives.
The decampees, who held various strategic positions in the PDP, were formally received into the APC by Alhaji Tijani Yahaya on behalf of a former governor and representative of Zamfara West Senatorial District, Abdul’aziz Yari.
Among those who defected were former PDP Youth Leader, Sahad Dabo; former Treasurer, Nasiru Anka; former Organising Secretary, Janaidu Magaji Kiyawa; and another former Organising Secretary, Musa Halilu Faru.
Others included former Zonal Organising Secretary, Lawali Aliyu; Hajiya Rabi Bakura; and ex-officio members: Hajiya Amina Duniya and Alhaji Tijani Yahaya.
Yahaya said Yari and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, would host an elaborate ceremony to officially welcome the defectors upon their return to the country.
He said: “It is a great day for our party.
“Their coming into the APC will strengthen our structure and boost our chances in the 2027 elections.”
He added that both new and old members would enjoy equal opportunities in the party.
He described the defection of PDP executive members into an opposition party in the state as a good omen and urged the new entrants to work collectively to consolidate the APC’s growing popularity.
Yahaya later handed the defectors over to the APC State Chairman, Tukur Umar Danfulani, who commended Yari and Matawalle for their efforts in strengthening the party across Zamfara.
Danfulani assured the newcomers of full integration, noting that the APC “remains open and fair to all who are committed to its progress.”
