Fresh cracks have emerged in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State as a splinter group, the Niger Rescue Movement (NRM), dumped the party and declared an alliance with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group said its mission is to challenge the APC and stop Governor Mohammed Umar Bago’s second-term ambition.
The development followed the APC’s recent nationwide primaries, which the group alleged were marred by irregularities, forcing many aggrieved members to seek alternative political platforms.
Addressing journalists in Minna on Thursday, NRM spokesperson and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Mikail Bmitosahi, accused the Bago administration of failing to deliver on key campaign promises.
According to him, the government has fallen short in tackling insecurity, creating jobs, improving education and healthcare, providing potable water and fixing roads across the state.
“We cannot continue to watch the future of Niger State and its people being mortgaged,” he declared.
Bmitosahi disclosed that the NRM already has structures across the 25 local government areas of the state and is ready to deploy them in support of the ADC ahead of the 2027 polls.
He said the movement’s leadership, made up of former commissioners and lawmakers, decided to join forces with the ADC after extensive consultations with political leaders, youths, women and other stakeholders across the state.
The former lawmaker thanked the leadership of the ADC at both the state and national levels for accepting members of the movement into the party.
He assured that the alliance would mobilise supporters across every ward, village and polling unit to work for the ADC’s victory in the next election.
“Our campaigns will focus on solutions to the many challenges facing Niger State. We are not interested in politics of bitterness,” he said.
Bmitosahi described the decision to quit the APC as one taken in the overall interest of the people of Niger State and Nigeria, stressing that the NRM believes in inclusive politics, good governance and quality service delivery.
He expressed confidence that the ADC/NRM alliance would provide a credible alternative capable of changing the political direction of the state in 2027.
