The immediate past Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress in Kwara State, Abubakar Basambo, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.
Basambo, who is former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, announced his defection in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday in Ilorin.
He said his decision followed a meeting with the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and APC governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.
The former ADC spokesman also declared his support for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Danladi-Salihu, expressing confidence in the leadership of the governor and his administration’s performance.
“Governor AbdulRazaq is a man who keeps his promise. His singular act of taking the governorship ticket to Kwara North is enough for me. His resounding success in healthcare, education, roads and other sectors is top-notch,” he said.
Basambo added that he decided to join the ruling party to contribute to the development of the state, adding that he was fully committed to supporting the governor and the APC governorship candidate.
“I hereby declare my unflinching support and total loyalty to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and to Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi,” he stated.
His defection comes amid a public disagreement between him and the Kwara State chapter of the ADC over the circumstances surrounding his resignation from the party.
Basambo had resigned as the ADC state publicity secretary in a letter dated October 23, 2026, addressed to the state chairman through the chairman of his Magaji Are 1 Ward and the Ilorin East Local Government Area chapter.
In the letter titled, ‘Letter of Resignation from ADC’, he accused some party leaders and members of the state executive committee of hypocrisy, dishonesty and double standards, saying he could no longer identify with the direction of the party in the state.
“This decision was not taken lightly. After deep reflection, I can no longer cope with the direction the party is going in the state. There is so much hypocrisy, lies, and double standards amongst some party leaders and State Excos who parade themselves as loyal leaders,” he wrote.
However, the ADC state secretary, Ibrahim Alege, had alleged that Basambo resigned to avoid disciplinary proceedings initiated by the party leadership and its Council of Elders over concerns about his conduct and commitment.
“For some time, concerns had been raised regarding Mr Basambo’s conduct and commitment to the ideals of the party. These concerns prompted the party’s leadership and Council of Elders to initiate established internal disciplinary procedures. Rather than allow that process to run its course, he chose to resign,” Alege said in a statement.
The party maintained that his departure was a personal decision and did not reflect any weakness within its ranks.
But Basambo dismissed the allegation, insisting that he resigned voluntarily and was never formally notified of any allegations against him or given an opportunity to defend himself.
“Let me state it unequivocally: I resigned voluntarily and on principle. I did not resign to evade any process. No formal allegation was ever served on me in writing, and I was never given a fair hearing to respond,” he said in a statement made available to The PUNCH.
He also faulted the proposed disciplinary panel, alleging that some of those expected to sit on it were among the party members whose conduct he had previously challenged.
“You cannot be a judge in your own case. I cannot face a panel populated by the very persons whose anti-party activities and impunity I challenged,” he added.
The former spokesman further accused the ADC leadership in Kwara of failing to establish an effective political structure, describing the party as “structurally comatose”.
He questioned the party’s visibility and grassroots engagement, alleging that it had no billboards or radio programmes to promote its activities and lacked adequate facilities for its operations.
“Show me one billboard of the ADC in Kwara. Show me one radio program sponsored by the party to sensitise the public. There is none — except for the personal efforts of a few serious-minded candidates, particularly in Kwara South and one Senatorial candidate from the North,” he said.
Basambo also alleged that members of the Council of Elders had taken control of the party’s affairs, sidelined the state executive and engaged in political negotiations with other parties without accountability.
He further claimed that the party’s state secretariat was uninhabitable and alleged that a candidate who won its House of Assembly primary in Oyun Local Government Area was removed and replaced by some party leaders, although he did not provide details of the circumstances surrounding the alleged replacement.
The former spokesman had also criticised the ADC governorship candidate, Zakari Mohammed, alleging that his conduct contributed to his decision to leave the party.
Despite his criticism of the ADC leadership, Basambo expressed appreciation for his political leader, Abubakar Kannike, whom he described as a man of honour and sincerity.
The ADC, however, maintained that it remained committed to building what it described as a credible political alternative in Kwara State and Nigeria, insisting that its mission was driven by transparency, competence and service.
Source: punchng.com
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