ABUJA—There has been an upsurge in the defection of supporters of opposition parties in the 2012 Adamawa governorship election to Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, with about 2, 200 of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Labour and National Transformation Party, NTP, supporters joining CPC during the weekend.

Their defection, which was welcomed by the governorship candidate of CPC in the forthcoming election, General Mohammed Marwa (rtd), came just as CPC in Adamawa State alleged that opposition parties have embarked on buying of voters card from registered voters using monetary incentives to influence such undemocratic ventures.

The defection of the supporters, which took place during the campaign tour of Marwa to Shelleng, Demsa, Guyuk, Numan and Larmourde local government areas, witnessed youth groups of the opposition parties pledging unalloyed loyalty to CPC with Marwa as governorship candidate.

At Guyuk and Shelleng, hundreds of youths from NTP, LP and PDP disclosed that the administration of Governor Murtala Nyako had disappointed them in bringing the dividends of democracy to the people of the state after they worked tirelessly for his election in 2007.

During the campaign tour of Numan, former youth leader of PDP in the local government area, Mr. Daniel Madiga, who spoke on behalf of the defecting youths, disclosed that they took the decision to defect because Adamawa indigenes cannot survive another four years of Nyako’s administration. He alleged that Nyako’s five years rule has further impoverished the state and its people.

At Kodomti Ward in Numam Local Government Area, PDP Woman Leader, Hajia Hadiza Ningi, who led defectors from PDP to CPC in support of Marwa’s ambition, lambasted the PDP for failure to deliver on promises they made to the people. She said she was tired of pleading and giving excuses for the inefficiency and deceit that PDP has brought to bear in the state.

On why she was leading women to defect to CPC, Hajia Ningi said the antecedents of performance of Marwa was well known all over the country, pointing out that having assessed all other candidates for the election, Marwa stands out as the person that will restore Adamawa State to its lost glory.

She said: “No wonder the wind of change as articulated by Marwa is blowing like wildfire across the nooks and crannies of Adamawa State.”

On buying of voters’ card from electorate as alleged by the Marwa Campaign Organisation, she said: “We have observed with dismay, the attitude of some politicians who move from house to house buying people’s voter registration cards.

“The campaign organisation is calling on security agencies to intervene by bringing the situation under control. It equally appeals to the electorate in Adamawa State not to sell their voter cards no matter how much was offered.

“CPC is also calling on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to draw the attention of some of the political parties to these injustices.”