The post-primary crisis rocking the Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deepened, with more than 200 members of the ruling party dumping the party for the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The latest wave of defections, which cuts across the 12 wards of Bosso Local Government Area, came despite a series of reconciliation meetings initiated by Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago to pacify aggrieved party members and aspirants who lost out in the APC’s controversial consensus arrangements.
The defectors, comprising youths, women and prominent APC chieftains, were led by a former commissioner in the immediate past administration, Mallam Mamman Musa.
At a colourful defection ceremony in Minna on Sunday, the defectors declared that they had become disillusioned with the APC and were seeking an alternative political platform to realise their ambitions.
The ADC emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the latest defection.
Among those who joined the opposition party were former APC State Assistant Treasurer and former Senior Special Assistant to ex-Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Alhaji Audu Ibrahim, as well as Adamu Ango Ibrahim, an APC House of Representatives aspirant in the last primaries and coordinator of the Jakadan Noman Minna group.
The defectors were received by leaders of the ADC at both the national and state levels.
The latest movement further strengthens the opposition party’s growing appeal among aggrieved APC members in Niger State following the fallout from the party’s primaries.
‘We are tired of one-man government’
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Adamu Ango Ibrahim accused Governor Bago of personalising governance and alleged that the same leadership style was responsible for the crisis that trailed the APC primaries.
“This is what he brought to bear during the just concluded party primaries where he single-handedly nominated candidates in the name of consensus,” Ibrahim said.
According to him, the process did not reflect the principles of consensus, justice, equity and fairness.
“What happened during the primaries does not in any way reflect the principle of consensus. There was no justice, equity and fairness, so we feel we are not safe in the party any longer. That’s why we decided to leave,” he added.
The defectors also declared that they were tired of what they described as “one-man government,” insisting that their decision was driven by the need for a platform where members would have greater participation in political decision-making.
Bago’s reconciliation moves face fresh test
The mass defection represents a fresh challenge to Governor Bago’s efforts to contain discontent within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Concerned by the growing exodus of aggrieved members, the governor has convened a series of meetings aimed at reconciling party members and rebuilding unity within the ruling party.
The latest was a special session with APC candidates and aspirants who lost out during the consensus arrangements for the forthcoming elections.
The meeting, held at the Hauwa Wali Multipurpose Hall, Government House, Minna, on Saturday, was convened to strengthen unity among party members and develop strategies to secure victory for APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
According to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, Bago urged all candidates and aspirants to remain committed to the collective vision of the APC, President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the New Niger Agenda of his administration.
The governor also appealed to party members to remain loyal and united, stressing that the success of the APC depended on the collective commitment of its members.
The meeting provided an opportunity for party members to deliberate on issues affecting the party and make recommendations aimed at strengthening its cohesion.
However, barely 24 hours after the reconciliation session, the latest defection has raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of the governor’s efforts to reconcile aggrieved members.
With the ADC continuing to receive defectors from the APC across the state, the development could further reshape the political landscape in Niger ahead of the 2027 elections.