The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, received thousands of decampees in Jos, the capital of Plateau.

Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, received the defectors on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Akpapio said that the mass influx of defectors into the APC was proof of the wide acceptance of the party among Nigerians.

He added that the defections were also a vindication of the optimal performance of the Renewed Hope Administration of  Mr Tinubu.

“On behalf of the president, I wish to welcome the new members from various parties into our great party.

“They will be treated fairly and given an opportunity to contribute to the growth of the APC by delivering the president, and electing a governor as well as State and National Assembly members,” he said.

Also speaking, the national chairman of APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, said that the APC had enough “firepower” to win emphatically in the next general elections.

“The APC will win Plateau governorship, National and State Assembly elections emphatically because our party is now united more than ever before.

“Today, we are receiving defectors from other parties, including those who worked against the APC during the last elections”, he maintained.

Mr Yilwatda called for more cohesion under the leadership of Mr Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda, he said, was transforming Nigeria.

Also, Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, House of Representatives, expressed joy that the APC in Plateau and Nigeria at large was harvesting people of substance from other political parties.

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and chairman, North Central Governors Forum, described Plateau as a strong APC state in spite of not having a governor.

He added that attracting persons from the current government in the state was a sign that the people believe in the APC and its ideals.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, former chairman of the APC in the State, Latep Dabang, said that they left the PDP because of deceit, oppression and apparent failure to perform.

He said all the defectors from various political parties were happy with Mr Tinubu, and the APC leadership under Mr Yilwatda, as its national chairman.

Some of the notable persons who were received into the APC included Sen. Istifanus Gyang, retired Brig.-Gen. John Sura, Isaac Kwallu, among others.

(NAN)