Former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, receiving the party’s cap at a ceremony in Abuja and vowing to deliver the Federal Capital Territory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Aduda was formally welcomed into the ruling party on Tuesday at the APC National Secretariat, where the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, presented him with the party’s insignia in the presence of members of the National Working Committee and supporters.
Speaking at the event, Yilwatda described the APC as the only true progressive platform in the country, adding that ongoing reforms and infrastructure projects under Tinubu’s administration were repositioning the economy.
He cited the Sokoto-Badagry road project as a major economic corridor expected to boost agriculture and trade, noting that recent policies had strengthened the non-oil sector and improved Nigeria’s trade balance.
Explaining his defection, Aduda said his decision was based on “alignment and realignment,” citing what he described as visible developmental strides in the FCT under the current administration.
He also commended Tinubu for granting the FCT autonomy from the Treasury Single Account and establishing the FCT Civil Service Commission, which he said had enhanced career progression for workers.
“I was in the minority for nearly seven years and couldn’t secure a ministerial slot for the FCT. This President has recognised us and given us a seat in the Federal Executive Council,” he said.
Aduda dismissed opposition parties in the territory as weak, describing them as “content creators” incapable of winning elections, and expressed confidence that the APC would secure total victory in the FCT in 2027.
He added that the party’s performance in the last area council elections, where it won five out of six councils, reflected its growing strength.
The APC Chairman in the FCT, Abdulmalik Usman, described Aduda as a political heavyweight whose defection would boost the party’s chances in the territory.
He said the party was now well positioned to secure the support of over 1.7 million registered voters in the FCT ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development is expected to reshape political alignments in the FCT as parties begin early positioning ahead of the next general elections.
