By ABBAS BAMALLI

Former candidates and aspirants for the positions of House of Assembly, Chairmanship, and Councilorship, in the previous elections under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina, have dumped the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contestants, numbering 287, took the decision to join the Coalition of Political Parties.

Speaking at a gathering in Katsina on Thursday, Malam Jamilu Yahaya, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Aspirants? Forum, said their decision to join the coalition was informed by their desire to bring positive change.

According to him, before taking such decision by 25 of them, series of meetings were held by the members, which at the end they decided to dump PDP and join the coalition.

He explained that there were about 20 per cent of their members that were still in PDP holding positions, but assured that before the forthcoming general elections they would also join.

Yahaya assured the coalition leadership that as new members, they would remain loyal and ready to join any political party the leadership resolved to be part of.

Also, the Chairman of Local Government Chairmanship Aspirants? Forum, Alhaji Yasir Ibrahim, said that betrayal and deceitful in the PDP, forced about 13 of them to leave the party.

He said: ?We were called to contest for the position of local government chairmen, but unfortunately we were deceived by a faction of the party.

?We struggled to obtain the expression of interest forms, but to our greatest surprise, our names were not submitted to the electoral body.?

According to him, PDP is no longer an opposition party in the state, ?hence our decision to join the coalition for a stronger opposition.?

The Chairman of Councilors Aspirants? Forum, Malam Aminu Yunusa, expressed the readiness of his members to work with the coalition towards salvaging the state and the country as a whole.

He added that before their decision to join the movement, he had to make sure that his members, numbering about 247, would be carried along in the new journey.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the meeting, two House of Assembly candidates under the PDP in the previous elections, also joined the coalition.

Earlier, the leader of the coalition, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, expressed happiness with the decision of the new members, assuring every member of equal treatment.

He advised members of the coalition to exercise patience, assuring that stakeholders were working tirelessly to provide a right political party for them to join.

Receiving the new members, Sen. Ahmed Babba-Kaita, said: ?I know the value of the new members, and their struggle in the PDP before leaving.

?The new members were deceived by the faction of the party, therefore, their decision to join the coalition is greatly welcomed.

?The forthcoming general elections is going to be between the APC and the masses. It is not a hidden issue, nobody is doubting that Nigerians are suffering.? (NAN)

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