With barely 44 days to the scheduled general elections in 2023, Murtala Usman Dukku, the PDP's publicity secretary in Gombe State, has defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
He officially left the PDP on January 11 and soon that evening joined the opposition NNPP.
In a letter dated December 22, 2022, and signed by Adamu Abubakar, the state PDP Secretary, Murtala, the outspoken spokesman, was expelled from the PDP for allegedly working against the party.
He did, however, resign from the party in a letter to the leadership two hours after being put on hold.
Just a few days have passed since Muhammad Yusuf Pindiga, the assistant state treasurer, and Musa Gwani Bimason, the PDP's Gombe Central Zonal Chairman, both switched their allegiances to the NNPP. Many people are shocked by Dukku's decision to leave.
Two other existing members recently defected: Hon. Rambi Ayala, who represented the Billiri East seat, and Hon. Hamza, who represented the Funakaye South constituency.
The female PDP leaders in Gombe and Dukku LGAs, Maryam Muhammad Audi and Asabe Saleh, respectively, have joined the NNPP.
The NNPP's candidate for governor, Ahmed Khamisu Mailantarki, has already assured journalists that his party will easily win the election.
He claimed that his election victory won't come as a surprise due to his track record of political success dating back to his time in the House of Representatives, his contribution to the growth and development of the State, and the recent infiltration of the party by well-meaning Gombe citizens.