All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Kwara State, Alhaji Bala Mahmud, and his teeming supporters in the party yesterday dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 polls in the state.

Mahmud, who was a former member of the 14-member committee on Patigi/Lafiagi crisis set up by the state government, stated that he decided to dump APC for PDP with his supporters in view of the leadership skills of former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and the decision of the PDP to zone the governorship ticket of the party to Kwara North senatorial district ahead of next year polls in the state.

The defectors are from Patigi town, the headquarters of Patigi LGA of the state.

They were later received into the PDP fold by the former Ambassador to Japan and former governorship aspirant of the party, Professor Mohammed Yisa Gana.

Speaking at the event at Patigi, the leader of the defectors, Mahmud, said their decision was based on the zeal of the PDP as the only political party that gave Kwara North the opportunity it has been looking for.

He said: “We've come to join the only party that has proven to us that Kwara North is also part of Kwara State.

“I want to assure the leadership of the party that we will join hands with our people in other local government councils in Kwara North to deliver massively for the party governorship candidate, Alhaji Shuaibu Yaman Abdullahi.”

Receiving the defectors, the former governorship aspirant of PDP, Professor Gana, said: “The 11th hour money politics embarked upon by the present administration in the state will not sway our people.

“We are determined to produce the next governor for this state and no going back.

“When you talk of political structure in Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki owns it, and when you need to discuss a leader with leadership prowess, it's him.”