In a major political shift ahead of upcoming electoral cycles, thousands of members belonging to the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) Legacy Group in Kebbi State officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
​The high-profile ceremony, held at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, saw prominent opposition figures, including an ADC candidate for the House of Representatives and two candidates for the Kebbi State House of Assembly, publicly switch allegiance to the APC.
​The defectors were formally received by the Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Nasir Idris, alongside key state and party officials.
​Speaking on behalf of the decampees during the event, Bala Garba-Manga (also cited as Bala Zuru), a key leader of the ADC Legacy Group, stated that the decision to abandon the ADC followed a comprehensive evaluation of the state’s political landscape and the tangible developmental strides achieved by the current administration.
​”We, the ADC Legacy Group, carefully analyzed Kebbi politics and came to the conclusion that we will defect from our old party to the APC,” Garba-Manga declared during his address. “We have defected based on the developmental achievements Governor Idris has recorded across the state, and we are committing 100 percent to ensuring victory for the party moving forward.”
​Additionally, Hajiya Asma’u Nuhu, who served as the Women Leader of the ADC group, appealed to Governor Idris to maintain and expand inclusion for women within the administration, highlighting that women account for the majority of voters during elections.
​Welcoming the defectors into the ruling party, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, former Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and prominent APC figure, introduced the new members. He commended their decision to join the party, assuring them of full integration, fairness, and equal opportunities within the APC structure.
​Also addressing the gathering, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs and Power, Kabir Sani-Giant, urged the newly joined members to maintain discipline, embrace party values, and work cohesively toward common governance goals.
​In his response, Governor Nasir Idris advised the defectors to immediately visit their respective wards and polling units to complete their formal registration as bonafide members of the APC. He assured them that the ruling party remains open to all citizens dedicated to advancing the socio-economic development of Kebbi State.
​The realignment marks another setback for opposition parties in the state, continuing a trend of defections into the governing APC as political actors consolidate alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the national leadership of the ADC has occasionally challenged claims regarding candidate affiliations in various states, local political observers note that the movement of the Legacy Group strengthens Governor Idris’s political foothold across several key constituencies in Kebbi.
