Niger PDP chieftain defects to APGA

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Niger State, Mr Joshua Bawa, has defected from the party and joined the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Mr Joshua Bawa a onetime Chief of Staff to ex -governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, also a former Commissioner for Special Duties in the same administration joined APGA in his ward in the Magama local government area of the state on Wednesday.

Bawa posted the photo of his defection surrounded by APGA flag and logo on his face book page on Wednesday. He was issued with membership card No 0000777.

He declared on the page “Political party declaration” “early today I obtained my membership card of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Let us be our brothers and sisters keepers. Welcome to APGA”.

Reacting to the defection the PDP said the action of Mr Joshua Bawa was not unexpected because he “has shown that he is a bad loser”

Niger North Zonal chairman of the party Alhaji Yahaya Ability told reporters on Wednesday that Joshua Bawa had refused to accept the loss of his candidate in the Magama Local Government congress last year in good faith.

Yahaya Ability said every effort made to reconcile him with his members was abortive leading to his withdrawing from the PDP two months ago

“We have not lost anything, he has no political base that is why his candidate lost the chairmanship election”.

The defection of Mr Joshua Bawa came almost three months after the state Deputy Chairman of the PDP Alhaji Aminu Yusuf from the same zone decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.