Ex-Assembly Candidates Who Joined APC Not Our Members – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has disowned former State House of Assembly candidates who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, saying they are not members of the party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this on his X handle on Monday.

Abdullahi was reacting to the reception of former ADC Assembly candidates by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

He dismissed the defection as a political stunt.

“The APC cannot assemble random individuals at its secretariat, confer imaginary ADC credentials on them and then announce their defection. These people are not our candidates,” Abdullahi said.

READ ALSO: 2027: Ex-ADC Assembly Candidates Formally Join APC, Declare Support For Tinubu

Earlier, former ADC State House of Assembly candidates disclosed that they left their former party for the ruling APC because of the strides of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

They stated this after they formally joined the APC, declaring support for the re-election of President Tinubu at the 2027 general election.

The ex-ADC State Assembly candidates, led by Princess Aslam Aliyu, were received into the party by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Hon. Mohammed Hassan from Zamfara appealed for equal opportunities in the party, stressing that they were moved by the giant strides of the Tinubu administration to join the APC and work for his re-election to sustain the gains recorded.

“We respectfully ask the National Chairman and the entire leadership to receive us as brothers and partners, to give us the opportunity to contribute and support us as we take this new message back to our people.

“Our commitment remains clear, to support the party, mobilise our people, promote development and service to Nigeria with sincerity and dedication.

“On behalf of all former candidates, I say thank you sir, thank you for welcoming us. We have come to work, we have come to contribute,” he stated.

Receiving the defectors, the APC National Chairman, Yilwatda, assured them of accommodation within the party as appreciation for keeping faith with it and the government of President Tinubu.

“We receive you specially because of the significance of your coming as candidates who voluntarily left the contest and withdrew from their ambition; abandoned their ambition for the overall interest of the nation.

“You are welcome to this party. You are welcome to this family. Like I told you last time we met, this family will accommodate you. So I will recommend you back to your governors, back to your local government, back to your ward…,” he said.

Yilwatda said contrary to the campaign of calumny by the opposition, the Tinubu administration has done a lot in Northern Nigeria, especially in infrastructural development and general empowerment, adding that the region is the greatest beneficiary of the student loans, among others.

According to him, President Tinubu remains the most pan-Nigerian candidate who has religious tolerance and political inclusivity.

“The President is one of the most experienced politicians in Nigeria that builds an inclusive home. He builds a religiously tolerant home where Christians and Muslims live together. He built Lagos that accommodated everybody…,” he added.