Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has received over 22 political heavyweights from the opposition parties and their supporters at the All Progressives Party zonal rally held in Kafanchan on Friday.

The event was witnessed by many APC supporters from Southern Kaduna and political stalwarts from across the state who passed a vote of confidence in Mr Sani’s administration.

The defectors comprised  serving and former federal legislators,  including lawmakers  from the state House of Assembly, former council chairmen, state party chairmen and standard bearers of the opposition parties.

 Those who left the Peoples Democratic Party included Sen. Danjuma Laar, the immediate past senator who represented zone 3,   Godfrey Gaiya, a former House of Representatives member and Ado Audu, a three-term member of the House of Representatives.

The representative of Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency, Amos  Magaji and  Donatus  Mathew,  another  member of the House of Representatives, representing Kaura Federal Constituency, also defected to the APC.

Others were state legislators such as Henry Zakarieh, representing   Jaba Constituency, Samuel Kambai from  Zango Constituency and Emmanuel Kantiok of  Zonkwa Constituency.

Also, the former Council   Chairman  of Jemaa Local Government, Mikiah Tokwak,  former Vice Chairman, Sunday Baba and former Chairman of Kauru Local Government, Paul Wani had joined the APC.

Similarly, a former PDP Chairman  in Kagarko Local Government, Shehu Tafarke, former NNPP state Chairman, Ben Kure and his successor, Nuhu Audu, including  the state chairman of the Labour Party, Isah Ciroma, are  now APC members.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Sani said that the APC was now taking over Southern Kaduna which used to be the political enclave of PDP as his administration was anchored on justice.

According to the governor, he is abiding to the oath of his office by being just to every segment of the state, irrespective of party affiliations or ethno-religious backgrounds.

Mr Sani emphasised that after any election, politics should take the back seat while governance takes the centre stage, adding that such was the hallmark of leadership.

The governor said that the focus of his administration was to bring about peaceful coexistence to achieve even development, arguing that if there was no peace there would be no development.

He said that President Bola Tinubu was pleased with what has been happening in the state, saying, “He wants the state to be a model of peaceful coexistence and that is why he has been supporting it.’’

He stated that President Bola Tinubu told him three days ago, that  the  Kaduna Light Rail project and the Kwoi-Kafanchan road were in the 2025 budget.

(NAN)