President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, on Saturday received defectors from various political parties into the APC at a rally in Plateau State.
The stalwarts of the ruling APC converged on the Jos Polo field to welcome new members from five different political parties in the state: PDP, Labour party, PRP, ADC and NNPP.
Among the defectors were Senator Istifanus Gyang who represented Plateau North in the ninth Assembly; Latep Dabang who was the director general of PDP’s campaign in the 2023 elections; Dr Patrick Dakum, governorship candidate for Labour Party in the 2023; and Afred Dabwam, former governorship candidate of NNPP.
Other defectors included member representing Riyom/Barkin Ladi Federal Constituency, Hon Fom Dalyop; member representing Jos South/Jos East Federal constituency, Hon. Ajang Alfred Ilya and Member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency Hon. Daniel Asama Ago among others.
Akpabio, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the rally, said Yilwatda’s coming has brought good fortune to APC in Plateau considering the caliber of people who have joined the party in recent months.
According to a statement by his special assistant on media and communication, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio said: “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 APC before the elections. When you are escorted by a lion like President Tinubu you have nothing to fear,” he said.
Akpabio assured the people that their concerns regarding their security were being addressed by President Tinubu.
He praised the President for his unflinching commitment to peace in Plateau State, noting that the killings and displacements that ravaged communities for years must end.
“Too many lives have been lost. Too many homes destroyed. The Plateau deserves peace, and anyone who wants to govern this state must be committed to peace,” he said.
“I cry whenever anybody is killed in the Plateau. The state is looking for peace and President Tinubu will deliver peace to Plateau State.”
The APC national chairman, Yilwatda, said the day marked the final consolidation of APC 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,” he said.
The defectors were presented with the party flags and symbols of the broom by the APC national chairman who assured the decampees of equal rights and privileges as other members of the party.
The reception rally was also attended by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. 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.
