No fewer than 2,000 members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal crises, alleged injustice, marginalisation and lack of direction within the opposition party.
The defectors announced their decision on Thursday during a press conference at the Kaduna State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), where they also set ablaze T-shirts and face caps bearing the ADC insignia to symbolise their exit from the party.
Led by Ibrahim Khalil Dan Kasa, a former ADC House of Assembly candidate for Unguwan Sanusi Constituency, the group said its decision followed growing frustration with the leadership and direction of the opposition coalition.
Dan Kasa said he took the decision to lead his supporters out of the party after concluding that their political contributions were no longer appreciated or rewarded.
“I have taken the bold step to lead our members out of this sinking ship. We are leaving a place where our sweat was exploited but our people were never valued or loved,” he said.
The defectors, comprising members of the El-Rufai Boys Vanguard, Nasiriyya Youth Movement, former ADC candidates, aspirants and party executives at ward and local government levels, accused the ADC coalition of marginalising loyalists of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the distribution of party tickets.
Dan Kasa cited Kawo and Doka Gabasawa State Assembly constituencies, alleging that qualified aspirants from their camp were denied tickets despite what he described as their strong grassroots presence and recommendations reportedly forwarded to the party leadership by El-Rufai.
“Despite our overwhelming presence and mobilisation on the ground, the party machinery made a deliberate calculation to deny tickets to credible aspirants from our camp,” he alleged.
The group also faulted the campaign of ADC governorship candidate Isa Ashiru, accusing it of lacking a clear policy direction and an actionable development blueprint. Dan Kasa said their camp had aligned with the campaign about seven months ago in anticipation of a comprehensive manifesto outlining Ashiru’s plans for Kaduna State, but claimed no such document had been presented.
“Seven months have passed, the election is almost here, and there is still no manifesto, no policy blueprint, and no plan,” he said, adding that Ashiru lacked the leadership qualities and administrative experience of El-Rufai.
The defectors further accused some members of Ashiru’s inner circle of exploiting the mobilisation efforts of El-Rufai’s loyalists while allegedly attacking the former governor’s political legacy.
They said members of their group participated in rallies, grassroots mobilisation and online campaigns without receiving the recognition and support they deserved.
They also alleged that ward executives, polling unit coordinators and youth organisers were abandoned without adequate logistics, security and welfare support, describing themselves as “disposable cannon fodder” for an ungrateful political cabal.
Explaining their decision to join the APC, the defectors praised Governor Uba Sani’s leadership, describing his administration as committed to continuity, development, inclusiveness and political stability. They said the governor had demonstrated administrative maturity by sustaining projects inherited from the previous administration instead of abandoning them for political reasons.
Dan Kasa claimed that the Uba Sani administration had completed more than 80 per cent of critical urban and infrastructural projects initiated by the previous government.
He also commended the governor’s handling of the state’s religious, ethnic and political differences, as well as his rural development initiatives across the 23 local government areas.
The group said the administration’s approach to youth participation was another reason for its decision, arguing that young people were being given opportunities to contribute to governance and decision-making rather than being used merely for political rallies.
Announcing their final decision, Dan Kasa said the group’s grassroots political structure had been formally dissolved within the ADC and integrated into the APC with immediate effect.
He said the structure included the El-Rufai Boys Vanguard, Nasiriyya Youth Movement, former candidates, aspirants and party executives, alongside more than 2,000 grassroots mobilisers.
He said the defectors would deploy their political networks, mobilisation capacity and digital platforms to support Governor Uba Sani and strengthen the APC ahead of future political contests.
“We have drawn an uncompromising line between aimless opposition and purposeful governance. We are directing our full grassroots strength, field discipline and digital machinery to safeguard the mandate of Governor Uba Sani and guarantee the uninterrupted progress, peace and consolidation of Kaduna State,” he said.
