Khamisu Mailantarki, the 2023 governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Gombe State, officially joined the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.
Mailantarki had resigned from NNPP in July but had not immediately aligned with another political party.
Speaking at his reception ceremony at the PDP secretariat in Gombe, Mailantarki explained that he joined the PDP to help revitalize the party and position it to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
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He criticized both the federal and state APC governments for their failure to deliver effective governance, stating that the PDP was the only party strong enough to challenge APC dominance. This, he said, motivated his decision to join the PDP after leaving the NNPP.
Mailantarki also criticized Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, for policies he deemed harsh, including the revocation of land titles and the compulsory biometric registration for civil servants, which required daily attendance at work.
He argued that it was unfair to burden workers with such requirements during a time of economic hardship, especially without corresponding increases in salaries.
In his remarks, Abnor Kwaskebe, the state PDP chairman, welcomed Mailantarki’s defection, calling it a significant boost for the party.
He promised that all members would be given a sense of belonging within the PDP.
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