By Awwal Umar Kontagora The former Labour Party governorship candidate in Niger State, Mr. Joshua Bawa Salka, popularly known as Kauran Kon...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The former Labour Party governorship candidate in Niger State, Mr. Joshua Bawa Salka, popularly known as Kauran Kontagora, alongside members of the Obedient Movement loyal to former presidential candidate Peter Obi, have defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The defection was formally announced at a gathering in Minna, where the National Secretary of the ADC, Mr. Rauf Ogborinsola—represented by the National Women Leader, Mrs. Naomi Nasaral Obed—described the development as part of a growing “storm of political freedom” sweeping across Nigeria.
Mrs. Obed called on the people of Niger State to rise against what she described as “systemic deception carried out in the name of democracy,” urging citizens to reject outdated political structures that have stalled the state’s development despite its abundant resources.
She lamented that Niger State, though richer than many other states, has remained underdeveloped, stressing the need for voters to break free from what she termed “patriarchal politics” by supporting the ADC to rescue the state from its current challenges.
She further criticised what she described as political opportunism, questioning the fate of citizens when elected leaders abandon the parties that brought them to power. “If governors return to the APC after elections, what happens to the poor people who voted for them?” she asked.
Speaking on the need to protect votes, the leader of the Progressive Awareness Group (CPSF), Engr. Daniel Galadima Gambo Bassa, said similar campaigns helped the APC defeat the PDP in the past, adding that Nigerians must now be more determined to enthrone just and accountable leadership.
According to him, Nigeria is at a critical point where ordinary citizens must resist exploitation by elites, noting that while insecurity, corruption, and bloodshed persist, those in power remain focused on self-interest rather than public welfare.
Also speaking, a former House of Representatives aspirant from the North-Central zone, Hon. Ibrahim Nuhu Auna, said he joined the ADC coalition to ensure good governance. He decried worsening insecurity in local government areas such as Magama and Rijau, where residents have reportedly been displaced by banditry.
He accused the state government of failing to protect lives and property, stating that many rural communities across Niger State have been devastated by insecurity.
“I am confident that the coming wave of political change will be similar to the one that brought former President Muhammadu Buhari to power,” he said, adding that many people have become disillusioned with the APC.
Receiving the defectors, the Niger State Chairman of the ADC, Alhaji Musa Hassan, said the party had recorded over 2,023 new members, including supporters of Peter Obi. He expressed confidence that the people of Niger State are ready for political change.
After presenting party membership cards to Kauran Kontagora and others, Hassan said the ADC provides equal opportunities for qualified members to contest any position through credible internal elections, in line with the party’s constitution.
He stressed that the party’s immediate focus was on grassroots mobilisation and party building rather than premature political contests.
In his remarks after receiving his membership card, Hon. Joshua Bawa Salka urged the state government to reassess its priorities, criticising ongoing urban demolitions while key infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and water supply remain neglected.
He described potable water in Minna as a luxury, lamenting that residents suffer daily due to the absence of functional water facilities despite the existence of a dam meant to serve the city.
He warned that environmental degradation caused by poor urban planning could expose residents to health risks.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Garba Damisa, Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and former Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, clarified that he had not defected. He said he attended the event in solidarity, noting that IPAC—including the APC—was formed to promote unity and accountability among political parties.
He stressed that Niger State’s development remains a collective responsibility, praising the ADC for operating within the law and avoiding political controversy.
The defection ceremony was held on Sunday morning at Vogosh Hotel, opposite the Niger State Government House, Minna.
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