By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
THE Sokoto state All Progressives Congress(APC) campaigns ahead of the 2019 polls have continued to dwarf the popularity and numerical strength of the PDP due to the massive defections from the ruling opposition party to its fold.
At its promised issue based campaign Saturday in Wurno and Rabah towns, all in the Eastern Zone of the state, defections of PDP big wigs were recorded in numbers including among others a former Chief Whip of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Bello Yahayya Wurno, three former elected Chairmen of Rabah Local Government , a former Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and a former Caretaker Councillor.
The gale of defections also opened gate for over 20687 other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to join the opposition All Progressives Congress ( APC). They were received accordingly during the party’s overwhelmingly attended rally conducted separately in the two towns.
However, the development is coming ahead of the expected visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the seat of the caliphate onThursday.
Prominent defectors from Wurno wrere Alhaji Bello Yahayya Wurno, Alhaji Abubakar Hamma’Ali and Alhaji Chika Hamma’Ali, former Public Relations Officer, as well as Secretary of the PDP In Hamma’Ali ward , respectively.
Speaking on their behalf , Alhaji Yahayya Wurno said that, they joined APC because of the prevailing justice, fairness and equity , as well as the tangible achievements of Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko when he was the Governor of the state between 2007 and 2015.
Similarly in Rabah local government, notables among the defectors include Alhaji Mohammed Rabah, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Rabah , Alhaji Ango Shehu Rabah and a former Vice Chairman, Alhaji Alhassan Ibrahim Rarah.
Others were : A former member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Tsamiya , a former Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Alhaji Husseini Gandi and a former Caretaker Councillor, Alhaji Tukur Mohammed, among others .
Speaking on their behalf, Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Rabah averred that, they left their former party because, ” there is no any other party like the APC. “
Meanwhile, leader of the party in the state, the Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, promised fair, equal and just treatment to all the decampees like the older members of the party .
He described Rabah town as historic and key , as it is the home town of the Iconic leader of the North, the late Premier of Northern Nigeria , Sir Ahmadu Bello , the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Wamakko, who represents Sokoto North Senatorial District also lashed at all those abusing and disparaging President Muhammadu Buhari, saying, ” anybody doing so is either a fool, from a less prominent house or indisciplined, disrespectful family .”
The Chairman of the Campaign Council, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi and the state party chairman, Alhaji Isa Sadiq Achida, expressed optimism that, APC would win the forthcoming general elections, at all levels, with a landslide victory .
The Gubernatorial Candidate, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and his running mate, Alhaji Faruku Malami Yabo , promised to strive to emulate Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko , when eventually elected .
The duo happily recalled that, the tenure of Senator Wamakko as a Governor of the state between 2007 and 2015, had remained unsurpassed, saying, ” we will continue from where he stopped in 2015, In sha Allahu. “
The Coordinator of the Campaign Committee in the Eastern Zone, former Minister of Culture and Tourism , Senator Bello Jibril Gada, and Senator Ibrahim Gobir, currently representing the District , vowed to massively vote the candidates of the party, at all levels.
