By SHUAIB SADIQ

No fewer than 1,000 card-carrying women members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have defected to the All progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara.

This is contained in a statement issued in Gusau on Saturday by Mr Jamilu Iliyasu, Press Secretary to Gov. Bello Matawalle.

The decampees who announced their defection at the Government House, Gusau, on Friday night were received by Gov. Matawalle himself.

They were led into the government house by the former women leader of the state PDP, Hajiya Madina Shehu, who had earlier defected to the APC.

“Shehu defected to the APC and in less than 24 hours, she was immediately followed by more than 1,000 card-carrying women members of the PDP into the APC.

“Among those who defected to the APC were the State PDP youths leader of the women wing, women local Government campaign coordinators of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare.

“Others were members of the state working committee and state executive council members of the party,” Iliyasu said.

According to him, the PDP coordinator for Bungudu local government campaign Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Leda, and State House of Assembly candidate for Gusau ll constituency, Ibrahim Mada, also announced their defection to the APC with hundreds of their supporters.

In their separate remarks, the former PDP members said their defection was informed by the lack of focus coupled with poor political strategy by leaders of their former party.

They informed Matawalle, that the leadership of the PDP abandoned its supporters to run the affairs of the party by themselves.

Gov. Matawalle applauded the decision of the defectors to join the APC in the state, and promised to carry the defectors along and treat them like every other APC member.

Matawalle, also the Northwest Zonal Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima 2023 ticket, pledged to consolidate on the gains of what he has done for the people of Zamfara state, promising to do more.

“He promised to reciprocate the gesture and confidence vested in him by the people of the state,” Iliyasu said.

The state Deputy Governor, Sen Hassan Nasiha, and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, were among the top party faithful at the event. (NAN)

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