Ahead of the 2023 general elections, over 13,000 All Progressives Congress, APC, members in Kaduna State, on Saturday, in Zonkwa, defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Speaking during the defection ceremony in Zonkwa, Kaduna State PDP Chairman, Hon. Felix Hassan Hyatt, who described the defection as symbolic and historical, noted that the good work of the opposition party will help it win the governorship election in the coming year.

According to him, the only PDP stronghold in the entire North-west Zone was in Southern Kaduna.

He regretted that Southern Kaduna, under the ruling party, had experienced infrastructural deficit and a high level of insecurity, noting that the region only enjoyed federal appointments and infrastructural development during the PDP administration.

The PDP National Youth Leader, Hon. Mohammed Kadede, said the new members had taken a wise decision, having realised that PDP was the party that Nigerians needed come 2023, to rescue them from the APC’s regime, and expressed confidence that the PDP would win the elections from the state level to the national level in 2023.

Treasurer of the opposition party, North-West, Hon. Rabiu Bakori, who formally received the new members on behalf of the North-West Zonal PDP Chairman, Sen. Hayyatu Gwarzo, in Zonkwa, on Saturday, noted that if the PDP must win the 2023 elections, every member must put in his/her best, adding that the ruling party had in 2015 promised to enhance security, but have ended up enhancing fears in the minds of Nigerians.

He said Kaduna residents must work hard to ensure that PDP wins at the polls to ensure justice, fairness, and true democratic values.