Defection in FCT: Ganduje, Kogi Gov. Ododo, Barua, others welcome AMAC chairman, Maikalangu, 30, 000 PDP members to APC

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, on Thursday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), bringing no fewer than 30,000 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members to the fold.

This high-profile defection drew notable attendees, including APC National Chairman Umar Ganduje, Kogi Gov. Usman Ododo and other party bigwigs like Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril and the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zaphaniah Bitrus Jisalo.

Others who attended included the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, FCT APC Chairman, Abdulmalik Usman, Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh and FCT Minister of State Mariya Mahmoud Bankure.

Persecondnews recalls that Maikalangu won the AMAC chairmanship election in February 2022 on the platform of PDP and has been credited with promoting peace and harmony in the council since his assumption of ofice.

In an electrifying atmosphere at Old Parade Ground Arena in Area 1, Abuja, on Thursday afternoon, an event tagged ‘Unity Rally 2025’ witnessed a mass defection of PDP members to APC ahead of council polls in the nation’s capital.

APC FCT Chairman, who addressed the tumultous crowd, said the defection marked a ‘unity rally’ to showcase APC Abuja’s unity.

He said: “We are out of turbulence and now cruising to success. This rally is to usher Maikalangu and his 30,000 followers into our great party, APC. We will deliver the Senate and the House of Representatives, and in 2027, we will re-elect President Bola Tinubu.

“North Central is the home of APC; we are in control of strategic states here. We are ready for the 2026 Area Council Election, and we will deliver.”

In his short speech, Deputy Senate President Barau said their victory in the FCT Area Council election in 2026 will be a landslide.

He said: “We are going to make APC, President Tinubu, and Nigeria proud. Let us work together to make our nation great.”

The Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Jisalo, said they appreciate the president for giving Gbagyi people a seat in his government.

He said: “This is the first time a president has given an indigenous Abuja person a seat in his government. So, will we give our vote to this person or someone else? Of course, we will give it to him.”