Over 700 Sokoto APC Members Dump Party for ADC in Goronyo LGA

Last Monday, a significant defection event unfolded in the political arena of Goronyo Local Government Area within Sokoto State. Over 700 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) abandoned their party allegiance and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This mass exodus predominantly took place in the Goronyo and Shinaka Wards, both serving as the hometowns of the Minister of State for Works, Muhammad Bello Goronyo Esq.

This defection has exacerbated the internal rifts within the APC in the Sokoto East senatorial district.

At the helm of this exodus were notable figures such as Alhaji Aliyu Tunau Shinaka, once the Secretary of the APC in Goronyo, and two-time Special Adviser to Sokoto State Governors. Also among the defectors were the APC Youth Leader in the LGA, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Taloka; Alhaji Kabiru Malam Isah Mai’alewa, along with Hajiya Shafa’atu S/Pawa Goronyo, a prominent women leader and youth mobiliser.

During their public declarations, the defectors expressed their discontent with the perceived "mishandling of the APC" by the Minister of State for Works. They alleged that he had abandoned his supporters within his own LGA, adding that despite his strategic federal role, he had failed to initiate any meaningful projects in Goronyo or support community development. The condition of federal roads connecting various communities in Sokoto East was specifically highlighted as a tangible example of neglect.

Insecurity was another pivotal reason cited for their defection. The speakers fervently condemned the minister's lack of concern regarding the escalating security challenges in Goronyo and neighboring LGAs within Sokoto East. They criticized him for not visiting communities to offer condolences to families who had lost loved ones to bandits or to provide aid for those affected by abductions or loss of livelihood.

Goronyo is among the eight LGAs most affected by banditry and terrorism in Sokoto East, with over 100 residents currently held captive by bandits.

The decision to defect was met with optimism that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would soon assume power at both federal and state levels in 2027, promising security, peace, and development to the affected communities. Political analysts view this defection as a substantial blow to the APC in Goronyo, particularly given the prominent status of the Minister of State for Works. This also marks a growing dissatisfaction within the grassroots structure of the APC in Sokoto East as the 2027 elections approach.