A chieftain of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Sani Shinkafi, says he has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) because Governor Bello Matawalle asked him to.
Mr Shinkafi, the APGA governorship candidate at the 2019 general elections in Zamfara, disclosed this at a news conference in Gusau.
The national leadership of APC received Mr Matawalle, federal and state lawmakers, to the ruling party on Tuesday.
“I am joining Matawalle in APC, with the APGA structure in the state and 14 local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
“I am not joining APC for material gains. I am joining Matawalle to develop my state. I am leaving APGA not because I don’t like the party, but I am leaving APGA in order to join Matawalle in the APC to rebuild Zamfara State,” he said.
“I was invited by Governor Bello Matawalle himself to join him in the APC, and as such, I see no reason why I should not join him,” he explained.
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Mr Shinkafi maintained that he was one of the founding fathers of APGA and had been in the party for 19 years, rising to the rank of national secretary of the party.
“I am not forcing anybody to defect to APC among my supporters. I will continue to relate with those who chose to remain in APGA because of our long-existing relationship,” Mr Shinkafi added.