ADC CHALLENGES APC CLAIMS OVER NORTHERN DEFECTORS

The African Democratic Congress has disputed the identities and party credentials of individuals presented by the All Progressives Congress as former ADC candidates who defected to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC received the group at its national secretariat on Monday, with its National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, welcoming them and urging them to return to their states and local government areas to mobilise support for the party.

The delegation was led by Aslam Aliyu, popularly known as Gimbiyar Kauran Namoda, while Mohammed Hassan, identified by the APC as an ADC candidate from Zamfara State, spoke on behalf of the group.

However, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the individuals were neither recognised candidates nor leaders of the party.

The party challenged the APC to state the ADC positions the individuals held, the constituencies they represented and when they contested under its platform.

Meanwhile, Yilwatda defended the Federal Government’s development activities in Northern Nigeria and questioned how opposition proposals to restore fuel subsidy would be funded.

He cited ongoing road, gas, fertiliser and student-loan programmes, while urging the alleged defectors to strengthen the APC’s grassroots structures ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ADC maintained that the APC should provide evidence to support its description of the individuals as former ADC candidates.