We regret voting Atiku — PDP defectors

Over 1,500 officials and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe on Tuesday defected to APC saying, they regretted voting Atiku Abubakar, PDP candidate in the presidential election.

The officials and their supporters announced their defection at the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign rally in Fika, Fika Local Government Area of Yobe.

Alhaji Ahmadu Usman, spokesman of the defectors said they regretted being in PDP and voting Atiku Abubakar in Feb. 23 election.

Similarly, 17 state and local government officials and their supporters from Machina and Yusufari Local Government Areas also defected from PDP to APC.

Alhaji Muazu Isa, PDP Vice-Chairman Zone C, led the defectors to pay allegiance to Alhaji MaiMala Buni, Yobe APC governorship candidate in Damaturu.

The defectors include Alhaji Sani Riga, State Financial Secretary Alhaji Kaumi Kaderi and Damiji Kalgiri, the Chairmen of the party inb Yusufari and Machina Local Government Areas.

Others are Ali Kakandi and Hajiya Kori Modu; Vice- Chairman and Women leader and 11 other ward officials in Yusufari Local Government Area.

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The former PDP Zonal Vice-Chairman said, “We want to apologise for the mistake of being in PDP and voting for PDP, we will not carry this mistake to the governorship election.

“There are no people left in PDP in the two local government areas, we will leave no stone unturned to ensure landslide victory of APC and Alhaji Maimala Buni in the Saturday election,” he said.

Buni assured the defectors of equal opportunity in APC, saying: “From now henceforth, you are as old and equal with those earlier in the party.

“You should contribute to the unity of the party and its success in all elections.’’

The governorship hopeful pledged to resolve the age-long water problem facing the people of Fika Local Government Area.

“We will construct road network linking Gujba to Ngalda and Fika-Maluri-Daura to exploit the rich agricultural deposits in these communities,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state PDP Chairman Inuwa Nguru and scores of officials had earlier abandoned the opposition party for the ruling APC.