Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, has officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Her media aide, Maulud Usman, confirmed the development on Sunday afternoon, stating that Binani arrived in Yola on Saturday evening and informed a select group of family members and close associates about her decision to join the ADC.
Speculation about her defection had circulated on social media earlier on Sunday, though official confirmation was not immediately available at the time.
Shedding further light on the development on Sunday afternoon, Maulud said the declaration was a quiet one with no invitation for media coverage.
He said however that Binani, who was the senator for Adamawa Central Zone as at the time she contested for the governorship seat in 2023, would be back in Yola soon for a more elaborate identification with her new party.
Binani lost narrowly to the incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 election.
It was reported that Binani’s exit from the APC was predictable, as she has not been having it smooth with the party’s leadership.
The APC leadership in the state has been appearing to demonstrate what many regard as undue affinity to the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu who, by virtue of his position at the federal level, is the leader of the APC in Adamawa.
It is believed that Binani was not comfortable with the situation, considering the political rivalry between her and Ribadu.
Ribadu was one of the five men who lost the APC ticket to Binani in 2023 and is believed to be either still interested in becoming governor or anointing someone in his stead come 2027.
