Khamisu Mailantarki, the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Gombe, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside thousands of his supporters.

Mr Mailantarki stated this at a political gathering organised to welcome the decampees into the PDP on Saturday in Gombe.

He expressed confidence in the party under Ibrahim Dankwambo, adding that his quality leadership was a driving factor behind his return to the PDP.

“We initially began our political journey with the PDP, later becoming founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and along the way, we chose to join the NNPP.

“However, we are now back home in the PDP, reassured by the leadership of Dankwambo,” he said.

He also lambasted the APC administration in the state, stressing that it was not for the poor, and expressed concern over the treatment of the economically disadvantaged class.

He claimed that the APC government had seized land and implemented mandatory biometric attendance for public workers.

“This requirement has unfairly impacted those who struggle to reach the office daily due to the harsh economic conditions, especially as some states have reduced workdays to just three per week,” he said.

The PDP chairman in the state, Gen. Abner Kwaskebe (rtd), who formally presented the party’s membership card to Mailantarki, reaffirmed strong PDP roots in the state.

“In 2027, we will do everything humanly possible to regain leadership in Gombe State,” he said.

He assured that the party would embrace both old and returning members equally to foster unity. 

(NAN)