Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau on Tuesday declared that politicians defecting to the Social Democratic Party, SDP, with the aim of using it to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2027 are on a mission that is dead on arrival.
He made this statement while receiving the SDP’s Vice Presidential candidate, Yusufu Buhari, and the party’s governorship candidate in Kano State, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarawa, who defected to APC, in Abuja.
Additionally, all members of the Kano State Working Committee of SDP, including 38 local government chairmen and secretaries, 13 House of Assembly candidates, and six House of Representatives candidates, have defected to APC in a significant political realignment ahead of the 2027 general election.
Barau revealed that he played a key role in facilitating the defection of SDP stalwarts, which he described as a major setback for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
El-Rufai, who recently joined the SDP ahead of the 2027 elections, has been actively recruiting members.
Addressing the defectors, Senator Barau stated that the defection of SDP chieftains to APC signalled the failure of any attempt to use the party to challenge the APC in 2027.
“Let me start by saying that those who have been going around the country, trying to woo people to the SDP, and thinking that their effort will create a platform capable of challenging the APC in the next election—the idea is confirmed to be dead on arrival. Dead on arrival.
“Why do I say that? People have rejected that invitation. People have said no, we are not coming to your party. The former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and others who have been mentioned have also said no. And to add salt to the injury, those already in the party are now moving to our party, the APC. The SDP is going to be empty.
“Today, the Vice Presidential candidate, the Governorship candidate in Kano State, and other heavyweights in the SDP have joined the APC,” he said.
Barau assured the defectors of equal treatment within APC but emphasised that their entry also came with responsibilities, urging them to be active so they could be quickly recognised.
The APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, described the defection as a transition “from darkness to light,” underscoring APC’s role as a beacon of transformative leadership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Former senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Kabir Gaya, expressed delight that the Deputy Senate President was championing the unity of l APC in Kano State and beyond.
