Thousands of All Progressives Congress (APC) members awaited Senator Aliyu Wammako at Sokoto airport and at a mega rally in a show of strength by the ruling party.
Senator Wammako, a former governor between 2007 and 2015, arrived from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital to reassure members of the party of their dominance.
Wammako who is the de facto leader of the APC in the state held the rally to erase the impression that incumbent Governor Aminu Tambuwal was a major factor.
Tambuwal, shunning the advice of Wammako, his godfather, on Tuesday committed political apostasy by leaving the party, to join the Peoples Democratic Party, in pursuit of a presidential ambition.
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He left with 18 members of the state legislature and some members of the House of Representatives.
But his deputy, the three senators from the state, the party chairman refused to jump ship with him.
Waiting for the arrival of Senator Alu Magatakarda Wammako….
Sokoto goes agog pic.twitter.com/3ISbIJu2mI
— Ismaeel Kasim (@Dan_yaryasa) August 4, 2018
Sen Wamakko to visit to Sokoto State: This is just Pre-arriving scene
Road leading to Sokoto Airport already shutdown, waiting for the arrival of the former Governor of the Sokoto, Senator Aliyu Wamakko. pic.twitter.com/rcNiaEZCiG
— APC Newspaper (@APCNewspaper) August 4, 2018
Sokoto stand still for President @MBuhari
Sokoto stand still for @WamakkoAliyu
Sokoto Airport tarmac taken over by @OfficialAPCNg supporters
Sokoto is confirmed for #PMB and @APCNigeria in 2019@APCUKingdom @Laurestar pic.twitter.com/3rPveXqm8V— Khalid Idris Muhammad (@Idrisawa) August 4, 2018