Mansur Aramide, Gombe
The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has dethroned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the minority party in Gombe State House of Assembly as the All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing Kaltungo West constituency, Hon Bashir Yakubu Barau yesterday defected to the party.
He was received into the NNPP by its state governorship candidate, Khamisu Ahmad Mailantarki.
Before Barau’s defection, both PDP and NNPP had three seats each in the State House of Assembly. With his defection, the NNPP now has four seats and will consequently produce the minority caucus in the House.
According to the lawmaker: “I joined NNPP in the best interest of the state,” adding: “both APC and PDP lack the requisite leadership qualities to unite and develop the state.”
Since the emergence of Mailantarki as the NNPP Governorship candidate, aggrieved members from both APC and PDP have been trooping the NNPP.
It could be recalled that, some state lawmakers (two from the APC and one from PDP) have earlier defected to the NNPP to increase its presence in the State House of Assembly.
Recently, four former deputy chairmen from Billiri, Kwami and Nafada and a former Councillor defected from PDP to NNPP.
The defectors included: two former deputy chairmen from Billiri local government, one each from Kwami and Nafada local governments and a Councillor from Tall ward in Billiri local government.
