774 NNPP Members Defect to APC in Kano’s Rimin Gado, Hail Tinubu’s Projects

A total of 774 former members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rimin Gado Local Government Area of Kano State.

The defectors were formally received on Friday by the Managing Director of the Hadejia-Jam’are River Basin Development Authority, Alhaji Rabiu Bichi, who described their decision as a significant boost to the ruling party’s strength in the state. The event, held in Rimin Gado, drew party loyalists, community leaders and residents, signalling a renewed contest for political dominance at the grassroots.

Bichi told the gathering that the former NNPP members had made what he called “the right political decision,” insisting that the APC remained the only party with a clear roadmap to steer Nigeria toward meaningful and sustainable development.

Bichi: APC Best Positioned to Deliver Development

Speaking at the reception, Alhaji Rabiu Bichi said the defectors were “lucky” to have joined the APC at a time when, according to him, the party was consolidating its development agenda across the country. He argued that the achievements of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had further demonstrated the APC’s capacity to deliver on its promises.

Bichi cited what he described as concrete projects in the Northern region, noting that more than 18 major projects worth billions of naira had been completed in Kano State alone under the APC-led federal government. He did not list the projects individually but maintained that they cut across key sectors, including infrastructure and agriculture.

He further explained that substantial funds were being released regularly by the Federal Government to state governments to support development initiatives. However, he lamented that some states were allegedly diverting such resources to other sectors in ways he suggested might not align fully with the original purpose. Without naming any particular state, Bichi urged leaders at all levels to prioritise projects that directly impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

Renewed Hope Agenda, Agriculture and Assurance to Defectors

The managing director also defended the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, saying it was already delivering positive results, particularly in the areas of economic recovery and food security. He pointed to various agricultural programmes as key interventions aimed at boosting productivity, supporting farmers and stabilising the food supply chain.

According to Bichi, initiatives under the agenda were designed to strengthen the agricultural base of the country, especially in the North, by providing farmers with improved inputs, irrigation support and access to funding. He said such programmes were part of broader efforts to revive the economy, reduce hardship and create sustainable livelihoods.

Bichi assured the 774 defectors that they would not be treated as newcomers or outsiders in the APC. He pledged that they would be fully integrated into the party structure and given equal opportunities like long-standing party members. He called on them to work hard at the ward and local government levels to consolidate the APC’s presence ahead of future elections.

Defectors Cite Tinubu’s “Laudable” Initiatives as Motivation

In his remarks, the leader of the defectors, Mohammad Karofin-Yashi, said the group’s decision to leave the NNPP for the APC was driven by what they perceived as the “laudable” development initiatives of the current administration.

Karofin-Yashi explained that many of the defectors had closely monitored the policies and programmes of the APC-led government and concluded that aligning with the ruling party would enable them to better support development in their communities. He said the group believed that the party’s agenda, particularly in infrastructure and agriculture, was more in tune with the aspirations of the people of Rimin Gado and Kano State at large.

He commended the APC leadership for welcoming them and promised that the new members would be loyal, active and committed to strengthening the party’s structures. Karofin-Yashi also urged other politicians who, in his words, were still “sitting on the fence” to reconsider their positions and join efforts aimed at promoting development under the APC platform.