PDP's governorship aspirant's supporters dump party in Gombe

Supporters of Alhaji Jamil Gwamna, first runner-up in Gombe State's Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) governorship primary election held on May 25 defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Saturday.

Alhaji Gwamna had earlier defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging support for Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, its presidential candidate and the governorship candidate, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State.

Gwamna's supporters had a platform called "Sardauna Dawo-Dawo''.

They were received by NNPP's governorship candidate in Gombe State, Malam Khamisu Mailantarki and Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano, the state chairman.

Chairman of "Sardauna Dawo-Dawo'', Malam Muhammad Makson said the group would now be known as "Mailantarki Movement'' having defected to the NNPP.

Makson said the decision to support the NNPP's governorship candidate was premised on the fact that "Mailantarki is young, diverse, competent, energetic and kind-hearted.

"Mailantarki is tested and trusted, and has the character to deal decisively with current issues and challenges facing the state.

"Our pulling out of our support for the PDP was a collective decision; we all decided to quit and join the NNPP so that we can have better leadership in Gombe State.

"We believe Mailantarki has the good character and capacity to rescue Gombe State.

"He has always been saying the right things and has done the right things in the past,'' he said.

Makson said that the group has about 2,000 executives and more than 20,000 volunteers in the 114 wards of Gombe State.

Receiving the defectors into the NNPP, Mailantarki assured them that they would be carried along in all the activities of the party to ensure that NNPP wins the 2023 election in the state.

Mailantarki urged them to mobilise more support for the NNPP and its candidates stressing that "it is only through grassroots mobilisation that we can uproot and defeat the ruling APC in the state.