Kebbi PDP rejects defection rumours, says party indivisible, intact
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State has reassured its members that the party remains united and indivisible. This statement followed reports suggesting that some prominent party members might be considering a defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Usman Bello-Suru, the state’s PDP chairman, issued the assurance while addressing the media in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Thursday.
He stated, “In response to rumours that some members of the PDP in the state are planning to defect to the ruling party, I want to assure our members that the PDP remains one united entity and will continue to fulfil its role as the opposition party in the state.”
Bello-Suru went on to explain that the PDP was addressing the ongoing meetings being held by some individuals, who were allegedly trying to rally party members for personal gain. He assured that these developments would not weaken the party’s presence or influence across the 21 local government areas of Kebbi.
The chairman urged party supporters to remain calm and stay focused, adding that the state leadership was closely monitoring the situation and would provide updates to its members in due course.
Speculation regarding defections arose after hundreds of supporters of former Senator Adamu Aliero, led by his younger brother, Abba Aliero, held a consultative meeting with Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
Following the meeting, Abba Aliero told the press that the gathering was a private discussion, and that the public would be informed of any decisions made at a later stage.
“We, the supporters of Senator Aliero, were invited for friendly talks with His Excellency, the Governor, which we attended. We requested time to return to our constituencies to further consult with grassroots supporters, after which we will decide on the best course of action,” he said.
Although Senator Aliero did not attend the meeting himself, several of his close associates, including Sama’ila Bui, the PDP’s deputy gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 elections, were present.
Recall that Aliero recently made a statement at a public event in Birnin Kebbi, declaring that politics was now a thing of the past for him. He praised the governor for his outstanding performance in office and the rapid development of Kebbi State over a short period.
In the 2023 senatorial elections, Aliero contested under the PDP banner and won the Kebbi Central Senatorial District seat, defeating the then-incumbent governor, Atiku Bagudu, of the APC.
Prior to the elections, Aliero had defected from the APC at both the state and national levels, joining the PDP in order to contest for the senatorial ticket, which he subsequently won.
