3rd January, 2014
Two governorship candidates in the 2011 elections in the northern Nigerian state of Sokoto , Alhaji Abubakar Yabo and Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Yabo and Dingyadi contested the gubernatorial election in the state on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) respectively.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that their defection came to light on Thursday at the inauguration of the Sokoto State headquarters of the APC by Gov. Aliyu Wamakko.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the inauguration, Dingyadi said he moved to APC to ensure peace, unity and the socio-economic development of the state, and Nigeria generally.
“Nobody should be in politics because of a single individual, but rather because of the common interests of the nation.
“I am therefore calling on our colleagues and friends who, due to some reasons best known to them, are still in other parties, to come and join the APC train,” he said.
Dingyadi, who was also the Secretary to the State Government between 1999 and 2007, called for the support and co-operation of all and sundry to ensure the victory of the APC.
Also speaking, Yabo stressed the need for commitment in the struggle to “free’’ Nigeria in 2015 and beyond.
The former CPC gubernatorial candidate also said nobody forced him and Dingyadi to join APC in Sokoto State.
“We did so out of our conviction to salvage Nigeria and contribute to its peace, unity and strengthening of democracy,” he said.
At the inauguration, Wamakko said the state had become more united politically with the turn of events.
“Politics should be aimed at ensuring national development, and not the pursuit of our selfish interests,” the governor said.
Wamakko added that there was the need for the people of the state to be more united to build a formidable state and Nigeria in general.
NAN reports that Alhaji Chuso Dattijo, a former Sokoto State Deputy Governor, and Alhaji Lawalli Margai, a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, also attended the event