Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State on Saturday received thousands of decampees from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by the party’s candidate for the House of Assembly in Marte Constituency, Jidda Buji.
Buji joined APC alongside leaders and members of his PDP campaign structure and support groups.
The defection took place in Marte town of Northern Borno along the shores of Lake Chad.
Explaining their decision, Buji cited Governor Zulum’s purposeful and committed leadership as the reason for decamping to APC.
“We are happy to join the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. We came to support our Governor who has provided the desired leadership in piloting the affairs of our dear state,” Buji said.
He added: “It is our wish to be part of history, in rebuilding our communities and providing a better living conditions for our people. It is the will of every well-meaning person to contribute to the development of his state, it is therefore a well-thought decision to join APC.”
Presenting the defectors amidst a crowd of supporters, Borno State’s chairman of the APC, Ali Bukar Dalori, described them as politicians with good intentions.
The chairman noted that the decampees were in the APC because they believe Governor Zulum has executed several projects in the last three and a half years, citing over 700 capital projects that cut across all parts of the state.
Governor Zulum in his address reiterated his commitment to consolidate the successes of his first tenure.
Zulum promised to continue his ongoing resettlement of communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and to revive the new Marte irrigation activities.
The governor was accompanied to Marte by former governor, Maina Ma’aji Lawan, APC’s candidate for Northern Borno Senatorial District, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, some members of the House of Representatives, as well as House of Representative candidate for Marte, Monguno and Nganzai Constituency, Engr Bukar Talba, Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, members of the state house of assembly and some party stakeholders.
