<\/p>\n
Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, for strengthening the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and attracting members of opposition parties into its fold.<\/p>\n
Shettima said recent political movements show that Kaduna is moving closer to becoming a one-party state under Governor Sani\u2019s leadership. He spoke during the commissioning of the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme over the weekend.<\/p>\n
At the event, the Vice President applauded what he described as the governor\u2019s calculated and inclusive political approach. He said the APC is gaining ground in several parts of the state due to sustained engagement with political leaders and communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cGovernor Uba Sani, we are most grateful. You are gradually turning Kaduna into a one-party state, with House of Representatives members representing Soba, Makarfi and Kudan on their way to the APC,\u201d Shettima said.<\/p>\n
He reflected on the outcome of the 2023 general elections and noted that the APC performed poorly in Kaduna at the time. According to him, the party lost all three senatorial seats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2023, we lost all three Senate seats to the PDP. Out of the 16 members of the National Assembly, the APC had only four. The PDP had 10, while the Labour Party had two,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Shettima said the political situation has changed due to renewed efforts by the governor and party leaders to rebuild trust and unity across the state. He explained that several influential politicians from opposition parties have now joined the APC.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have in our midst former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero. We have Senator Sunday Marshal,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Vice President described the development in Southern Kaduna as historic. He pointed out that the zone had always produced PDP senators since 1999 and had never been represented by the APC until now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first time in living memory that the APC has a senator in Southern Kaduna, due to the singular effort of Governor Uba Sani,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Shettima also announced that a serving member of the House of Representatives from Igabi Federal Constituency had defected to the APC. He said the constituency is one of the largest in Nigeria, with about 600 polling units and more than 400,000 registered voters.<\/p>\n
He attributed the wave of defections to Governor Sani\u2019s leadership style. According to him, the governor\u2019s approach has helped bridge political and ethnic divides and encouraged cooperation among leaders from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is leadership. Without your inclusive approach, I don\u2019t think Sunday Marshal and other leaders in Southern Kaduna would have joined the APC,\u201d Shettima said.<\/p>\n
Beyond politics, the Vice President commended the Kaduna State Government for working closely with the Federal Government on the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme. He described the project as a sign of people-focused governance and timely response to community needs.<\/p>\n