A philanthropist and political aspirant in Adamawa State, John Obidah Sanduforun, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Labour Party (LP) following controversies surrounding the party’s primaries in Demsa Local Government Area. Sanduforun, who contested for the House of Assembly seat representing Demsa Constituency under the APC, said he left the party after being asked to step down for another aspirant, a request he declined. He has since joined the Labour Party, where he purchased a nomination form and emerged as the party’s candidate for the constituency.
In a chat with Legit.ng on Tuesday, June 2, Sanduforun explained the reasons for leaving the ruling APC. According to him, he believes the Labour Party is where he truly belongs and where he stands a better chance of winning. As he put it: "I feel the Labour Party is where I belong too and where my victory lies. I take my decision of defection as the will of God. The All Progressives Congress is practicing a system that is contrary to what the people want."
APC Accused of Overriding Electorate’s Choice
He further criticised the conduct of the party primaries, saying the exercise was carried out based on the party’s preference, rather than what the people actually wanted. He added that democratic principles should reflect the will of the electorate. His words: "The primary election that was conducted a few weeks ago was done according to the party's wish and what the party felt was good for the people, but that was not what the people want. We live in a century where Nigeria is practicing democracy; therefore every citizen has the right to vote for his preferred candidate and not a political party imposing a candidate on the people. I want a system that will work for the benefit of the people and not a system that will work for itself. That is why I chose the Labour Party because it's a fair and transparent party with great leaders."
Sanduforun Appeals for Support
Sanduforun appealed to constituents to support his ambition: "I plead with the people of my constituency to get their voters card and vote for me, and I will bring development to them in all sectors for their success." Speaking on his political ambition, he said his passion for community service began before he considered contesting. "As a bona fide indigene of Demsa Local Government, my love for the people is unexplainable. For the past years, the community has been producing politicians who do not care about the development and wellbeing of the people. Demsa is one of the poorest local governments in Adamawa state, but it has had politicians who only care about themselves for the past years. My passion to help my community started even before I got the mind to contest for the position of a member in the legislative arm of government. I have done several philanthropic works in each community because I want progress and success for the people."
In related news, House of Representatives Deputy Spokesperson Philip Agbese secured the Labour Party ticket for the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections. He reportedly won the party’s direct primary with over 52,000 votes across 35 wards in Benue State, following his recent defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Labour Party.
