Defection of APC bigwigs Yari and Marafa to PDP causes political uncertainty in Zamfara, opposition confirms membership

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Abdul Aziz Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa are now members of the party.

ZAMFARA, Nigeria (TVAFRINET) – ThePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confirmed the defection of the former Governor of Zamfara state Abdul Aziz Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa and thousands of their supporters into the party.

The opposition party Nigeria, through a media briefing in Gusau at the States Working Committeee on Sunday confirmed the deffection of the two chieftains from the All Progressives Congress (APC)

While addressing journalists in Gusau, Zamfara state PDP chairman, Bala Mande, disclosed that aside from Yari and Marafa, other top-ranking APC members have also joined the party with their supporters. He said the party is making arrangements to formally welcome them and their supporters into the party.

According to Mande, “We want to officially announce to you of the joining of our great party, the PDP, by the former Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Abdul Aziz Yari, Senator Kabiru Garba Mafara and their supporters.

“They are now PDP members, we have reached an agreement and we are going to implement the agreement.

“We have agreed to work together as one political entity in one party, the PDP for the success of the party in the State.

“We have also agreed to work extra hard to reclaim the lost mandate of Zamfara State in 2023 and save its people from their present predicament.

“I have given the stakeholders a complete update of where we are as a result of this development.”

On his own part while commenting why he dumped APC, Senator Marafa stated that he could no longer bear the ill -treatment he (including his supporters) was subjected to. He said himself and his supporters were frustrated out of the party.

He further stated that there was no ge of him and his supporters getting justice under the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu , the newly elected APC chairman – as was in the case of Mai Mala Buni leadership.

“Politics is about winning elections and everything, so we cannot stay in a house that we are not needed,”

“As far as I am concerned, I am a fulfilled person as far as this project APC is called. If there is anything left, I am waiting to see how the architect of this cruelty meted out to the people of Zamfara State, how they are going to fare in politics.

“But for now, I am happy, I told them to their faces in Kaduna that they will never benefit out of the machinations they were doing at that time, that is Mai Mala and his co-travelers. And I’m happy that they have lost out and they have lost out disgracefully.

“APC is not Islam, it is my religion that I can not leave for whatever reason, but a political party, I can leave and join anyone of my choice,” he said.

The defection of the duo has caused serious political uncertainty in Zamfara state as the popularity of APC dwindles. The current governor, Matawale second term might be a herculean task

Senator Marafa ran for the governorship nomination of the ruling All Progressives Congress but due to inter party conflicts lost the election.

Before then, he ran and won the 2011 and 2015 Zamfara Central Senatorial seats.