By Idris Umar, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Sokoto State yesterday, received more defectors ahead of the 2023 general elections in the state.

The latest defection was another set of scores of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from Dundaye, Gumburawa, and Gidan Bubu districts in the Wamakko Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking at the event, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, the Minister of Police Affairs, described the development as a success, following the achievements recorded by the APC-led Federal Government.

“The APC administration under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari has brought positive developmental projects aimed at impacting the lives of people.

“The government had for the past seven and half years continued to roll out sustainable programs that impacted positively to the lives of the less privileged in the country.

“Therefore, I called on all of you to sustain more support for the victory of APC in order for the party to continue to provide more democratic dividends for our people,” he urged.

Dingyadi further said that those achievements recorded by the government at the center were the reasons why members of other political parties were trooping into the APC across the board.

Receiving the defectors, Alhaji Isa Sadiq-Achida, the state APC Chairman described them as pillars of democracy in the area.

Sadiq-Achida urged the new members to feel free and work for the success of the party in the forthcoming elections in the state.

Earlier, Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu, the APC governorship candidate in the state, solicited the support of the electorate, while assuring to bring back more development for the state.

Aliyu told the gathering that he would follow in the footsteps of the APC leader in the state, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC -Sokoto North) and sustain his legacies when he served as governor for eight years.

Some of the defectors, Alhaji Labaran Gidan-Ruwa, Hajiya Balkisu Dundaye, and Malami Mai-Sojoji revealed that they left PDP in the state following its alleged failure to deliver on all the promises made.

Niger Tinubu/Shettima Support Groups Bicker over Marginalisation

From Dan Amasingha, Minna

Ahead of the arrival of the Presidential Campaign train of the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima to Minna today, 42 supports groups for the presidential candidate have complained of marginalization for tomorrow’s programme.

The support groups include the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Vanguard (BATV), the oldest of the organizations.

A dependable source close to the groups hinted DAILY ASSET in Minna that ahead of the planned visit, they have been left in the dark about the role they are to play before and during the campaign proper.

It was also gathered that a member of the Presidential Campaign Committee who heads all the support groups is also not aware of the proposed rally.

According to the findings no adequate preparation has been made for the rally by way of erection of large campaign bill boards, advertisement and jingles on radio and television as well as the  general mobilization of party supporters in the state ahead of the rally.

“It appears some people wants the rally to flop that is why they are showing nonchalant attitude to it” one of the leaders of the Support groups said.

It was learnt that the support groups are however planning to make sure the candidate Chief Bola Tinubu is aware of the plot by the government and the APC as a party in the state.

“We may carry placards and position ourselves well to ensure our message is delivered to Senator Tinubu when he arrived Minna.

According to sources the cold shoulder being shown to the Support Groups is a follow up to the bad treatment meted out to some of the party chieftains in Abuja when the PCC was inaugurated a few weeks back.

It was learnt that apart from refusing to accommodate and take care of the logistics of those that attended the event the APC in the state and the Niger State Government did not give them any recognition.

“We had to leave Abuja and got to Minna in the thick of the night because of no Accommodation” one of those that attended the inauguration said.

When contacted an official in the office of the Special Adviser Political Matters to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who preferred to remain anonymous said: “We are not aware of what you are talking about, go to the party secretariat”.

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Miss Sarkin-Kaji also denied that support groups were being marginalized but did not say what role has been assigned to them in the campaign.

Adamawa SDP Inaugurates 222-man Campaign Committee

From Yagana Ali, Yola

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa State, has inaugurated 222-member campaign council headed by a former female commissioner of women affairs in the state, Mrs Titi Malik with a vow to sweep the 2023 general election in all contested positions.

During the event, the Central Planning Committee headed by James Manager was also inaugurated.

The gubernatorial candidate of the Party, Dr. Umar Ardo said the rationale for appointing a woman to lead the campaign council was in line with gender politics which the state has embracted to.

He said the victory of Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani as the gubernatorial candidate of APC and the subsequent appointment of woman as the running mate to the PDP candidate, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has tilted the balance of the political terrain of the state to gender politics.

Ardo noted that the SDP which is a highly cosmopolitan and sensitive party deemed it fit to consider the new political dynamics of the state in its political equation.

He noted that the campaign council was a brainchild of consultations as all stakeholders of the party including party officials, candidates and members of the party were carried along adding that such made the council to be accepted by all and sundry.

Ardo who expressed optimism of emerging victorious at the polls prayed for the PDP not to be disqualified so that he will have the opportunity of comprehensively defeating it at the polls.

He urged the campaign council to be sincere, truthful and committed to the party’s victory calling on them to mobilize supporters ahead of the flagging off of the party’s campaign on Thursday.

Speaking separately the DG, campaign council, Mrs Titi Malik and chairman central planning committee, James Manager vowed to work assiduously towards the successful outing of the party come 2023 general polls in the state.

They urged the electorates to discard both PDP and APC as they have woefully failed the state adding that the only man with the character, educational posture and political will to salvage the state out of the woods is Dr. Umar Ardo. They noted that a vote for him is a vote for peace, prosperity and economic stability.