Over 5,000 People Democratic Party (PDP) members from across the 25 local government areas in Niger State have defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In what could be regarded as a major setback for the main opposition party, the members announced their defection on Sunday after an expanded meeting at the Haske Hotel in Minna.

The meeting was attended by five PDP leaders selected from each of the 25 local government areas, who read out the list of all the defectors, local government by local government.

The members alleged that the leadership had run the party like an arm of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state in the last two years.

They also cited the lacklustre performance of its leaders, which has made the party lose every election in the state.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the members resolved that the PDP in the state would dissolve into the ADC, reach out to the grassroots for proper party membership and voter registration and work with other opposition political parties ahead of the unveiling of the coalition in the state.

The leaders of the PDP who attended the meeting included former House of Representatives members, Baba Shehu Agaie and Abdullahi Shehu Rijau, former governorship aspirant, Mukhtar Ahmad, former secretary to the state government, Ndako Kpaki, M B Tsado, Tsowa Gamunu, Muhammad Nazeer Abdullahi, former speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Musa Ma’ali and Ndanusa Hassan Aliyu, among others.

Part of the communique read: “The meeting was convened in furtherance to a meeting of the PDP coalition stakeholders on July 13. In attendance were at least five PDP members/leaders selected from each of the 25 LGA.

“The meeting acknowledges the failure of leadership at all levels of governance in Nigeria resulting in a catastrophic state of insecurity, pervasive poverty and unbelievable decline of the national economy that negatively affects all aspects of national life.

“The meeting recognised the failures of the PDP in providing opposition at the national and state levels.

“The meeting recognised the inability of the PDP to provide credible opposition in Niger State and in Nigeria. The meeting noted with dissatisfaction the lacklustre performance of party officials in leading the party.

“The meeting observed that the PDP has become an extension of the ruling party, hence no longer a credible and viable alternative for the opposition in Niger State and in Nigeria.

“The meeting applauded the efforts of the national opposition leaders in Nigeria and the birth of the ADC as the most credible opposition platform in Nigeria.

“The meeting was equally inspired by and commends the appointment of Sen. David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi as interim National Chairman, interim National Secretary and interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC.

“The meeting resolved to join the national coalition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“The meeting also resolved to reach out to the grassroots for proper party membership and voter registration.

“The meeting equally resolved to work together with other opposition political parties in Niger State on a date to be fixed for the unveiling of ADC in Niger State.

“The participants were generally impressed by the turnout for the meeting and the commitment of the participants,” it further added.

The Sun Nigeria