ZAMFARA State Governor, Alhaji Mahmud Shinkafi yesterday formally dumped the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said that the current leadership of the ANPP has exhibited wanton disregard for the party’s constitution, it’s manifesto, due process and the general feelings of the members of the party.

Addressing thousands of ANPP and PDP supporters at the state trade fair complex, Gusau he said leaders of ANPP were no longer committed to repositioning the party and rekindling the confidence of its members to face the challenges ahead.

Said he: "Our decision to register then with the ANPP was informed by our conviction in the fact that the party has more elaborate manifestoes which we believed are in consonance with our dreams and aspirations. After the emergence of the party’s leadership in 2006,which eventually spear-headed the 2007 election, it is regrettable to realise that this promising party, rather than capturing more states, the reverse was the case.

"Today, the ANPP that controlled nine states in 1999,seven in 2003 is left with only five in 2007,which is clear indication of decline of the party’s popularity as a result of poor leadership.’’

He alleged that the leadership of the party is inconsistent in its relationship with the PDP and the Federal Government which is widely believed to be a double standard designed to serve the interest of some individual members of the leadership,rather than the party’s interest and the development of democracy.’’

He said that the party leadership had refused to act on some complaints presented by the state ANPP in collaboration with his office over the crisis rocking the party in the state. Instead, he said, the party had aggravated the problem.

Shinkafi cited some achivements of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as additional factors that motivated him to join the PDP.

He said all hands must be on deck to assist Yar’Adua towards achieving his set goals.

"Based on the reasons outlined and in recognition of the Seven-point agenda of the PDP- led administration of President, Yar’Adua, I, Alhaji Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi hereby today Friday the 5th of December, 2008 withdraw my membership of the ANPP and formally register my membership with the PDP," he said.

Receiving the governor on behalf of the PDP national chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor the party’s national vice chairman in charge of North West zone, Dr. Danladi Sankara, described the defection of Shinkafi as great development to the party,saying that the party is set to capture all the seven states that constitute the North West geopolitical zone before 2011 general elections.