Mass defection looms in Niger APC, 3 ex-commissioners,

From John Adams Minna

There is uneasy calm in the Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some aggrieved members  have concluded plans to defect following what they described as high level of injustices meted to them during the just-concluded party primaries for the 2027 general elections.

Indication to this emerged last week when some of the aggrieved aspirants for the House of Representatives seat met in Abuja to take a position on their next line of action.

This is coming barely three weeks after three former commissioners who served in the last administration in the state dumped the party.

The former commissioners are Mamman Musa, Mai Nasara Dan Mallam and Yusuf Suleiman.

In addition, all members of the forum of former councillors from Bida Local Government Area have defected from the party, citing lack of internal democracy.

However, a source close to the Abuja meeting of the aggrieved aspirants told our correspondent that the meeting was meant to take a position following what they described as a stage-managed consensus arrangements by the party in the selection of candidates for the general elections.

They condemned the way and manner the consensus arrangements were handled, alleging that only the governor’s preferred candidates were selected for the various political offices for the 2027 elections.

Our source stated that the APC in the state is on the verge of implosion following Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago’s action, which led to hand-picking of candidates in complete disregard of democratic principles.

Aside from the aggrieved National Assembly aspirants, several former commissioners, former local government chairmen and other former appointees have also concluded plans to leave the party.

Efforts to reach party’s publicity secretary, Musa Sarkinkaji, for his comment on the development was not successful as his mobile phone could not be reached.