The People’s Democratic Party and Labour Party have lost scores of members in the Federal Capital Territory to the APC just 48 hours before the presidential and national assembly elections.
According to The News Agency of Nigeria, the APC welcomed the defectors on Wednesday in Abuja.
Frontline Tinubu supporters, led by Dr. Hawa Iyatu-Bagu, the National Coordinator of the National Mass Movement for Better Orientation, claimed that the development was proof that the APC would win the elections on February 25.
Iyatu-Bagu said that the organization had been in touch with the defectors for a very long time, saying, ”Today, those that accepted the truth have decided to follow the winning team.”
She said, “We have been going around canvassing for votes, and most of them here are only the leaders because if all of them were here, this place could not contain them.”
“So, we now ask their leaders and some of them to come here and make it public about their decision to dump the PDP and LP and declare their readiness to vote for Tinubu and Shettima.”
“With this development and what we have seen so far in the course of our campaigns across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, Nigerians, especially women, are ready to vote for the duo.”
The coordinator also stated that the youths were ready to ensure the landslide victory of Tinubu, assuring the defectors of equal treatment.
According to her, the APC presidential candidate will reciprocate any gesture done to him with quality leadership.
Also speaking, the Deputy National Coordinator of NAMMBO, Ibrahim Umar, lauded the Tinubu support group for attracting the defectors into the fold of APC.
Umar said that the chances of Tinubu winning the presidential election were very bright, adding that Nigerians were eager to vote for Tinubu and Shettima.
Earlier, Mr. Titus Musa, a former PDP Youth Leader in Gwarinpa Ward, Abuja Municipal Area Council, who led defectors, said they decided to defect to the APC to vote for Tinubu.
He said, ”This is due to his record of excellent service in Lagos and his contributions to national development.”
”We are convinced by the APC manifesto, The Message of Hope.” APC is the way to go, and Tinubu has something to offer Nigeria.
“We have seen the light in Tinubu, and we are ready to join hands with him to move our country to the desired level. I believe the way Tinubu transformed Lagos, if given the mandate, he will do a lot for the country.
”Therefore, we decide to defect from the PDP to the APC together with our teeming supporters, compromising youths and women.”
On her part, the former Labour Party Women leader in Gwarinpa Ward, Ms Zipporah Bitrus, said that they left LP to APC as Tinubu and Shettima were the best for the country.
”Tinubu is a person who is always concerned about uplifting ordinary citizens.
“He had mentored many Nigerians and that is why we see the reasons we pitched our tent with APC.
NAN reports that the high point of the event was the presentation of the APC flags to the defectors, symbolizing their formal integration into the party’s larger family.