The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Governorship Candidate in Bauchi State in the 2023 elections, Senator Halliru Dauda Jika, has officially dumped the party and returned to his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Nigeria Standard recalled that Senator Haliru Jika decided to dump the APC immediately after the party’s primary election at Zaranda Hotel, which gave Ambassador Sadiq Baba Abubakar the ticket, because he was not satisfied with the outcome.
As a result of that development, Jika joined the NNPC and became a candidate of the party. He contested the 2023 Governorship election in the state, against APC and PDP where he became third loser.
Jika after receiving his APC membership card at Kafin Madaki ward in Ganjuwa Local Government in the state, said, “I don’t expect anything short of what I was saying today.”
“All APC members in Bauchi State will now come together, harmonise and strategies, fuse together as one solid entity ahead of the 2027 polls, so that we will emerge victorious in Bauchi State”. Jika told his supporters who were present to witness his formal return to the APC.
Addressing thousands of his supporters in his ward, Jika said, “This is a homecoming. This is my ward, Kafin Mafarki. it is my support base, it is my base, so I don’t expect anything short of what I’m saying today. My return to the APC is marking the beginning of a new dawn in the party in Bauchi State.
“As I said earlier in Hausa, Bauchi has always been a revolutionary state. It is not a politicking time now, it is time for us to restrategise, come together and unite so that 2027 will be an easy ride for the APC in Bauchi State, by the grace of Allah,” Jika stated.
Earlier, while presenting the party’s membership card to Jika, the Kafin Mafarki APC Ward Chairman, Malam Ango Abdullahi, said efforts by some forces in the party to prevent the former NNPP candidate’s return to APC failed.
Abdullahi said he was ready to lose his position as APC ward party chairman in order to ensure Jika gets the APC membership card.
He said Jika’s return to APC will boost the party’s confidence and help make it succeed in the state and the country at large.
Our correspondent in Bauchi, in a related development confirms that Bauchi State Chairman of the NNPP, Alhaji Shehu Sani Mallam also joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) as well as Alhaji Bala Hadis, Bauchi State Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
