IN THE THROES OF A REBIRTH : 1,200 Kaduna PDP members defect to APC as Sambo meets stakeholders ... DailyPost

The Kaduna State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), depleted yesterday as about 1200 of its members defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
A former PDP Chairman in the State, Alhaji Yero Audi Makama, who had last Tuesday joined the opposition party, led the defectors.
At the event, Makama stated that “We are ready to ensure that PDP loses elections in Kaduna State and indeed, Nigeria.”
“Our target is to dislodge PDP come 2015 in Kaduna State. Our dear state has and still suffering from uderdevelopment, infrastructure decay, absence of peace and unity, distrust as a result of bad governance from the PDP.”
Responding, interim chairman of APC in Kaduna, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, a retired federal permanent secretary, said, “We are very happy to receive prominent members of the PDP from the Vice President’s local government”.
Meanwhile, Vice President, Namadi Sambo, also yesterday, held marathon meetings with PDP stakeholders from Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna states.
Sources say the parley was called to forestall any more defection.

Leader of the Kano delegation to the meeting, Amb. Aminu Wali, said that the defection of Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the party has restored unity. He accused the Governor of fueling rancour and bitterness.
In attendance at the session held in Kaduna State House, Kawo, were former House of Representatives Speaker, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, Mohammed Abacha, Col. Habibu Shuaibu and other prominent members of the party from the state.
Wali, in an interview with newsmen, said “The delegation felicitates with Vice President Namadi Sambo on the occasion of the New Year and briefed him on the political situation in Kano state.”
“The stakeholders expressed their willingness to further develop more strategies and tactics to forge a common front so as to ensure peaceful political activities and compliance to due process,” he said.
On Kwankwaso’s defection, he stated that “When you lose a member, it is a minus, whether such a member is good or bad. But in this case, we are down for losing him. His defection has brought a breath of fresh air to the party in the state.
“For now, we don’t have a single issue that will divide us. The only person creating the division has left us. We are making effort to woo anybody into our fold. Shekarau is a prominent figure, so, we need such calibre of persons in our fold,” he added.