Over 10, 000 tricycle riders loyal to the Kwankwasiyya Group and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wednesday in Kano State destroyed and openly burnt their red caps and formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Receiving the defectors, the Chairman of APC in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas described the event which took place at Sani Abacha Stadium as historic and an indication that the Kwankwasiyya and the PDP are dead and buried in Kano.
“Today, they have come to join us and we have received them with open hands. In our great party, there is no discriminative. They will be accorded the same treatment just like any one of us.”
“We are happy to receive the tricycle riders who have realised that there is no hope where they were.
Abbas also stated that, “with what is happening now, you will agree with me that come 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will have a landslide victory in Kano.”
Speaking also, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Alhaji Muktar Sule Garo, said about 6500 members of Kwankwasiyya Tricycle operators and 3500 members of PDP Tricycle operators defected to the APC.
“Thousands of Kwankwasiyya and PDP loyalists are gathered in this place to show their disaffection on the ideals and ideology of their leader, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
“ The defectors have come to join the struggle of restoring true democracy under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari at the centre and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje here in Kano.
“What you have seen here today is the beginning of the total annihilation of the Kwankwasiyya Group and the red-cap followers.
“Already, plans have been concluded to receive more of these groups from market women, tea sellers, mechanics, baked beans sellers, soft drinks hawkers, vulcanizers and many other groups.”
“There is no doubt that Kano is ready to deliver over five million votes to President Muhammadu Buhari. The people are happy with the achievements of Governor Ganduje’s administration and they are ready to appreciate him at the polls.”
Also speaking, Kano state Commissioner for Information, Youths and Culture, Malam Muhammad Garba, described the event as memorable, adding that the state government was impressed by the development.
“most of the decampees were members of the APC who went on sabbatical, but today, they have realized that there is no road where they were. They are back and we welcome them with open hands.
“You can also agree with me that Kwankwasiyya is dead in Kano. We are expecting more people to join the progressives. I must tell you that Kano will soon record yet another massive defection of the opposition into our great party, the APC.”
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, leader of the tricycle operators in the state, Alhaji Usama Haruna Dala, said that, “our defection today is as a result of our conviction that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has given Kano the kind of development we deserve and he is ready to do more.
“We are also happy with the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. We believe in APC, we believe in Ganduje, we believe in Buhari. In 2019, Insha Allah, APC is the winning party.”
