After many months of speculation, the former minister of transport, Sen. Idris Umar, and hundreds of his supporters over the weekend, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Umar, who served as minister under the last administration, was one of the founding leaders and a strong pillar of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) in Gombe state.
While addressing members of the APC and his teeming supporters at his hometown Dadin Kowa, Yamaltu/Deba local government of Gombe State on Saturday Umar said, he arrived at his decision following several demands by his supporters to join the party.
“After several deliberations and consultations, we decided to join the APC, in other to join our friends and brothers who have gone before us, to revive the political glory of our state, and bring about massive development,” he said.
He then appealed to members of his new party to desist from hate speeches during campaigns and party meetings, in other to woo more members into the party.
The APC chairman of Yamaltu/Deba local government, Alhaji Sule Makaniki, who expressed happiness over the defection of the former minister said it is a clear sign that the party is heading to victory come 2019 in the state.
It would be recalled that, the APC received Mr John Lazarus Yoriyo, the former deputy Governor of Gombe who served with former Governor, Danjuma Goje under PDP, along with his supporters sometimes in October 2016.