More than 11,000 members and supporters of various political parties have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The defectors were formally received at a ceremony held on Saturday at the Azare Township Stadium.

The APC State Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Mohammed Tilde, said more than 150,000 people had recently joined the party across the state, describing the development as evidence of the APC’s growing popularity.

He expressed confidence that the party would win the 2027 elections in the state.

Among those received into the APC were Yusuf Mohammed Bako, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and African Democratic Congress (ADC); Hassana Arkila, who defected from the APM; and Hajiya Zainab Baban Takko, a former member of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

The APC governorship running mate, Dr Farouk Mustapha, presented the directory of the new members to the party’s state leader and Minister of Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate.

Mustapha said the list would be forwarded to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

He described his return to the APC as a return to familiar political ground and expressed optimism that the party would win all elective positions in Bauchi State in 2027.

However, the reception was marked by the absence of several prominent APC figures, including former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar; former Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; and governorship aspirants Alhaji Nura Manu Soro and Bala Maijama’a Wunti.

No official explanation was immediately given for their absence.

However, some party members and insiders attributed the development to lingering disagreements over internal party democracy and the processes leading to the selection of candidates for the 2027 elections.

Some members also alleged irregularities during recent party primaries, including claims that election materials were not distributed to polling units and that some voters were not adequately informed about the exercise.

The concerns have prompted calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, to intervene and reconcile aggrieved members and aspirants.

Stakeholders warned that failure to address the grievances could undermine the party’s recent membership gains and affect its chances in the 2027 elections.

While the mass defection represents a boost to the APC’s structure in Bauchi, the concerns over internal cohesion remain a challenge for the party as it prepares for the 2027 polls. (Vanguard News)