A member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Gwale Constituency, Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mai Rigar Fata, has dumped the All Progressives Congress for the Nigeria Democratic Congress after losing his bid to secure the party’s return ticket ahead of the next election.
Mai Rigar Fata, who represents Gwale Local Government Area the hometown of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf was officially received into the NDC on Thursday by former Kano governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso at his residence in Maitama, Abuja.
Welcoming the defectors, Kwankwaso described their move as a major boost for the party’s grassroots structure in Kano State, where he remains one of the most influential political figures.
Mai Rigar Fata was first elected into the Assembly in 2023 under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party before later moving with Governor Yusuf to the APC.
His latest defection comes shortly after he failed to clinch the APC ticket to return to the state assembly.
Others who joined the NDC alongside him include former Gwale Local Government Vice Chairman, Kabiru Sani Auwal Obi, and Mahadi Isa Umar.
The development is also coming on the heels of a Federal High Court ruling on Thursday that reportedly eased restrictions around political defections previously enforced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Reacting to the ruling, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson of the opposition African Democratic Congress, said the APC could soon face a wave of defections.
