In a significant political shift that occurred on Sunday, no fewer than 500 members of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) in Kano State officially crossed over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging their complete loyalty to their new political home.
Formal Reception and Integration Promises
The defectors were formally welcomed by Engr. Umar Abdullahi Umar, the Executive Director of Technical Services at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), who happens to be the son of former governor and immediate past APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. During the ceremony, Umar assured the new members of their full integration and equal treatment within the APC family.
Umar praised the defectors for what he described as their "courage to see the truth and join the APC, the strongest party in Africa." The reception event coincided with the launch of the first phase of an empowerment programme initiated by Umar himself.
Massive Empowerment Distribution
The event, held at the Armani Event Centre in Kano, featured the distribution of large-scale agricultural and economic support items to over 3,000 APC supporters drawn from all 44 local government areas of Kano State. According to a statement issued in Abuja by Edwin Olofu on behalf of Dr. Ganduje, the distributed items included:
- Tricycles and mini-trucks
- Fertilisers and herbicides
- Improved seedlings
- Solar-powered irrigation pumps
- Agro-processing machines
- Various modern agricultural tools
These items were specifically aimed at boosting productivity and promoting self-reliance among beneficiaries.
More Empowerment Phases Coming
Addressing the crowd, Engr. Umar described the current distribution as "the tip of the iceberg," emphasizing that more phases of the empowerment initiative were already in the pipeline. He noted that special focus would be given to youths and women in subsequent phases.
"We have already begun plans for the next phase of this empowerment. This is not the end. Any APC member who did not receive support today should not lose hope; your turn will come," Umar assured the gathering.
He explained that his drive to assist people across Kano State—not only in his Tofa/Dawakin-Tofa/Rimingado Federal Constituency—stemmed from a genuine desire to uplift communities and strengthen the APC's support base.
Umar specifically urged beneficiaries not to sell the distributed items, stressing that they were provided specifically to improve livelihoods and enhance agricultural output across the state.
Beneficiaries Express Gratitude
Several beneficiaries who spoke at the event described the intervention as both timely and impactful. Aminu Ahmad, who received fertiliser, explained that the support would help revive farming activities that had been severely hampered by rising input costs.
"High fertiliser prices reduced our farming output. Today, we feel rescued, and our morale has been boosted. Engr. Umar is truly following in the footsteps of Baba Ganduje," Ahmad stated emotionally.
Another beneficiary who received a solar-powered irrigation pump expressed that it was the first time his community had benefited from such an initiative. "This is the first of its kind. We thank Abba Ganduje, and we will repay good with good," he promised.
During his speech, Engr. Umar acknowledged several APC leaders in Kano as his inspiration, including his father Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Murtala Sule Garo, Abba Bichi and Mariya Bunkure.
