The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State have continued to record cross-defections of members ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
APC, in a statement issued to newsmen in Sokoto on Thursday by Bashar Abubakar, the Special Adviser, New Media to Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North) said the party had received three Ward executives of the PDP from Isa Local Government.
Abubakar said the executives, who were from Bafarawa ward, Gebe ‘A’ are: Haruna Yola, Yusuf Ibrahim, and Yakubu Ibrahim, alongside scores of their teeming supporters.
“More so, from the same Isa LGA, PDP stakeholders from Bargaja ward that include Mudassir Hamidu, Junaidu Umar, Alhaji Sanusi Bargaja, and their supporters joined APC.
“Moreover, away from Isa LGA, APC has made a big catch from the PDP by receiving its bigwig, Alhaji Mustapha Bello, from Sokoto North LGA,” he said.
Abubakar quoted the APC Chairman of Isa LGA, Alhaji Lawali Sarkin-Tasha, while receiving the defectors in the area, as assuring them of equal and fair treatment from the party with other members.
Sarkin-Tasha expressed confidence that the APC in the state and the country, in general, has all the chances of winning the 2023 elections.
Also speaking, Alhaji Ibrahim Lamido, the APC Senatorial candidate in the Sokoto eastern zone of the state welcomed the new members into the party.
Lamido saluted the leadership style of the APC leader in the state, Wamakko, saying, “if Ahmad Aliyu is given the mandate to lead the state, a lot of people-oriented programmes will be brought to the state.”
In the same vein, the state PDP spokesman, Malam Hassan Sanyinnawal, in a statement issued to NAN in Sokoto on Thursday, said the party had recorded another success.
Sanyinnawal said that the members of the state chapter of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) on Wednesday declared their total support to the PDP.
He said the MACBAN members led by the state Chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu Magaji were received by the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bello Goronyo, at a brief ceremony in Sokoto.
He quoted the MACBAN chairman as saying that the visit was to declare their total commitment to PDP and to bring their members from Wurno LGA who defected from APC.
Magaji, assured of the members’ commitment to ensuring the success of PDP at the 2023 General Elections, while appreciating the effort of the state government toward enhancing the living standard of the people.
In his remarks, the state PDP Chairman welcomed the new members and appreciated their decision while assuring them of equal treatment.
Goronyo called on them to use their wealth of experience and embark on door-to-door campaigns to ensure that all the Fulani herdsmen and women vote for PDP candidates at all levels.