The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, alongside the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, received defectors from various political parties into the ruling APC in Plateau State on Saturday, at a ceremony that witnessed a large turnout of party supporters.
A statement released by the Special Assistant to Akpabio on Media and Communication, Anietie Ekong, on Sunday, stated that chieftains of the party converged on the Jos Polo Field to welcome new members from five political parties in the state – the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, PRP, African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
According to the statement, among the defectors are “Senator Istifanus Gyang, who represented Plateau North in the Ninth Assembly; a former Director-General of the PDP campaign organisation during the 2023 elections, Latep Dabang, Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Dr Patrick Dakum, and a former NNPP governorship candidate, Alfred Dabwam.
“Other defectors included the member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency, Hon. Fom Dalyop; the member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, Hon. Ajang Alfred Ilya; and the member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Hon. Daniel Asama Ago, among others.
Representing President Bola Tinubu at the rally, Akpabio said the emergence of Yilwatda as the APC National Chairman had brought good fortune to the party in Plateau state, considering the calibre of people who had joined the party in recent months.
“My ears have heard and my eyes have seen that from today, the entire Plateau is APC. Come 2027, Plateau shall deliver the APC.
“Today, we have received political caterpillars, including several governorship candidates in the last election. We have also received the Director-General of PDP campaigns in the last election, several serving and former members of the National Assembly, and their supporters.
“Let me appreciate President Tinubu for finding a man of valour, a man of integrity and a man of dignity, Prof. Nentawe, to become the National Chairman. You can see that he has delivered Plateau State to the APC before the elections. When you are escorted by a lion like President Tinubu, you have nothing to fear”, the statement quoted Akpabio as saying.
Speaking further, he assured the people that their security concerns were being addressed by Tinubu. He commended the President for his unwavering commitment to peace in Plateau State, noting that the killings and displacements that had ravaged communities for years must end.
He added, “Too many lives have been lost. Too many homes destroyed. Plateau deserves peace, and anyone who wants to govern this state must be committed to peace.
“I cry whenever anybody is killed in Plateau. The state is yearning for peace, and President Tinubu will deliver peace to Plateau State.”
In his remarks, Yilwatda noted that the day marked the final consolidation of the party’s dominance.
“Today on the Plateau, there is only one political party. If you are not in APC, you are not in politics. With this structure, with this firepower, Plateau will deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. All three Senate seats will be APC. All federal and state positions will be APC. The people have spoken: APC or nothing,” the statement quoted Yilwatda as saying.
The statement added that the defectors were presented with party flags and the symbol of the broom by the APC National Chairman, who assured them of equal rights and privileges as enjoyed by other party members.
The reception rally was also attended by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule; his Benue State counterpart, Hyacinth Alia; and the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Salifu Joel, among others.
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