Several prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing Governor Abdullahi Sule’s leadership and development strides as the reason for their decision.
The defectors, led by the immediate past PDP Vice Chairman for Nasarawa North, Shemmy Mashi, were officially received by Governor Sule at the Government House on Tuesday.
Mashi, who disclosed that he had been a loyal PDP member since 1999, said he and his supporters resolved to join the APC after assessing the achievements of the Sule administration.
Among those who defected alongside him were former PDP youth leader Yahaya Jobe, former party elder Akuson Philip from Karu, and former women leader Christiana Ondah.
Addressing the gathering, Mashi noted that the delegation represented only a fraction of PDP members preparing to cross over to the APC. He thanked Governor Sule for the warm reception and pledged the full support of the defectors and their followers to the governor’s administration.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Kwanta Yakubu, who presented the delegation, described the defections as part of a growing wave of politicians joining the APC due to the government’s developmental projects and inclusive style of governance.
According to Yakubu, the increasing number of defectors reflects the growing acceptance of Governor Sule’s policies across political lines in the state.
In his remarks, Governor Sule welcomed the former PDP leaders into the APC, noting that their visit came shortly after he received another former PDP chieftain, Hajiya Farida Umar. He also recalled hosting former PDP national officer Mohammed Sani about a week earlier.
The governor said the steady stream of defections demonstrated increasing confidence in his administration but stressed that governance in Nasarawa was not limited to members of the APC.
Sule maintained that every resident, regardless of political affiliation, deserved to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Highlighting his administration’s achievements, the governor pointed to investments in roads, healthcare, education and industrial development, as well as economic initiatives such as the “Diamond in the Rough” investment summit and the more recent “Renaissance” summit, both aimed at attracting investors and expanding economic opportunities in the state.
He congratulated the defectors on joining the APC and assured them of equal cooperation as his administration continues to implement projects and policies focused on improving the welfare of all Nasarawa residents.