2027: Aduda Joins APC, Vows to Deliver FCT for Tinubu
Former Senate Minority Leader in the 9th Assembly, Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to deliver the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Aduda was received into the APC on Tuesday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, where the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, presented him with the party’s cap and insignia before members of the National Working Committee and supporters.
Welcoming the former lawmaker, Yilwatda described the APC as Nigeria’s leading progressive platform, highlighting the Tinubu administration’s ongoing reforms and infrastructure drive as key factors repositioning the nation’s economy.
He pointed to major projects such as the Sokoto–Badagry road, describing it as a strategic economic corridor capable of enhancing agriculture and trade. According to him, recent government policies have also contributed to strengthening the non-oil sector and improving Nigeria’s trade balance.
Explaining his decision to switch parties, Aduda said his move was driven by “alignment and realignment,” noting what he called visible developmental progress in the FCT under the current administration.
He commended President Tinubu for granting the FCT autonomy from the Treasury Single Account and for establishing the FCT Civil Service Commission, measures he said have improved career prospects for workers in the territory.
Reflecting on his time in the opposition, Aduda noted that despite spending nearly seven years in the minority, he was unable to secure a ministerial slot for the FCT, adding that the current administration has now given the territory representation in the Federal Executive Council.
The former senator also downplayed the strength of opposition parties in the FCT, describing them as ineffective and expressing confidence that the APC would secure a sweeping victory in the territory in 2027.
He further cited the party’s performance in the last area council elections, where it won five out of six councils, as evidence of its growing dominance.
Also speaking, APC Chairman in the FCT, Abdulmalik Usman, described Aduda as a significant political figure whose defection would strengthen the party’s prospects in the territory. He added that the APC is well positioned to mobilise support from over 1.7 million registered voters in the FCT ahead of the next general elections.
Aduda’s defection is expected to influence political dynamics in the FCT as parties begin early realignments and strategising for the 2027 polls.
