Zainab Ali
More than 1,600 supporters of Jigawa State’s ruling All Progressives Congress have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party from Limawa ward in Dutse Local Government Area.
The defection took place on Friday at a PDP rally in Limawa, where a large crowd of youths, women, and men gathered waving party flags. The defectors, drawn from various wards, cited unfulfilled promises by the APC.
Receiving the new members on behalf of the PDP state leadership, the party’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. Umar Danjani, said the development was a major blow to the ruling party.
“Welcome home to the PDP family. Your move strengthens our resolve to deliver real change for Jigawa,” he said.
He noted that Limawa ward had long been one of APC’s strongest bases, producing key figures such as the Senior Special Assistant to the Jigawa State Government on Students Affairs and the current member representing Dutse in the State House of Assembly.
“Losing 1,600 supporters from this ward shakes APC’s foundation,” Danjani added.
He urged the new members to work in unity, saying, “Together, we’ll reclaim Jigawa from neglect. Your defection is the first step toward victory.”
Leader of the defectors, Umar Abubakar, popularly known as Young Danmodi, said they were leaving the APC because of unfulfilled promises and lack of development.
“APC promised paradise but delivered pain — broken roads, idle youth, and empty pockets,” he said.
He added that although Limawa remains an APC stronghold with many loyalists and political heavyweights, he and his supporters were determined to convince others to join the PDP.
“Over 1,600 of us say no more! We’re here to work, vote, and win for Jigawa’s forgotten voices,” he stated.
Abubakar concluded by pledging commitment to the PDP’s mission of rebuilding the state: “PDP, we’re yours now. Let’s build the state our children deserve.”
A few months earlier, the APC received over 60,000 defectors from various opposition parties at a rally held in Dutse.