The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda have received a large wave of defectors from various political parties into the ruling APC in Plateau State.
The event, held at the Jos Polo Field, attracted a massive crowd of party supporters. According to a statement issued on Sunday by Akpabio’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Anietie Ekong, defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party , Labour Party, PRP, African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party were formally received into the APC.
Among the high-profile defectors were Senator Istifanus Gyang, who represented Plateau North in the Ninth Assembly; former Director-General of the PDP’s 2023 campaign organisation, Latep Dabang; Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Dr. Patrick Dakum; and former NNPP governorship candidate, Alfred Dabwam.
Others included members of the House of Representatives Hon. Fom Dalyop (Riyom/Barkin Ladi), Hon. Ajang Alfred Ilya (Jos South/Jos East), and Hon. Daniel Asama Ago (Bassa/Jos North) alongside their supporters.
Representing President Bola Tinubu at the rally, Akpabio said Yilwatda’s emergence as APC National Chairman had brought “good fortune” to the party in Plateau State, noting the calibre of political figures now joining the APC.
“My eyes have seen and my ears have heard that from today, the entire Plateau is APC,” he said. “Come 2027, Plateau will deliver the APC.”
He commended Tinubu for his leadership and assured residents that the Federal Government was addressing the state’s long-standing security challenges. According to him, “Too many lives have been lost. Plateau deserves peace, and President Tinubu will deliver peace to this state.”
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In his remarks, Yilwatda declared that the rally marked the final consolidation of APC’s dominance in the state.
“Today, on the Plateau, there is only one political party. If you are not in APC, you are not in politics,” he said. “With this structure and firepower, Plateau will deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.”
The defectors received party flags and broom symbols, with assurances that they would enjoy equal rights and privileges as existing party members.
The event was attended by several prominent politicians, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa; Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue; and Kogi State Deputy Governor, Salifu Joel.
PUNCH Online had earlier reported that over 300 PDP chieftains left the party between February 2024 and February 2025 due to internal crises. On Saturday, the PDP crisis deepened further as 11 top members, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and ex-Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, were expelled for alleged anti-party activities.
