SENATOR YAROE REJECTS APC, ALIGNS WITH ATIKU’S ADC: ‘I WON’T FORGET THOSE WHO STOOD BY ME’
Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe, representing Adamawa South Senatorial District, has formally explained his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He emphasized loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a commitment to sustaining viable opposition politics in Nigeria.
The senator, who officially resigned from the PDP on February 19, 2026, amid deepening internal crises in the party, made the revelation during an interaction with journalists.
He rejected the option of following Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), opting instead to join the ADC, where Atiku Abubakar is a key figure in the emerging opposition coalition.
Yaroe highlighted that his choice was driven by both personal gratitude and broader democratic principles. “I have been with Atiku Abubakar from the beginning of my political career. I am not someone who forgets people who stood by me in difficult times,” he stated.
He credited Atiku for crucial support during his 2019 PDP senatorial primaries and his successful reelection in 2023.
The lawmaker described the PDP’s fragmentation into factions as rendering it unreliable for future contests, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The PDP has become fractured into several factions, and nobody can confidently say which one is legitimate,” Yaroe said, warning of risks similar to those in Zamfara and Plateau states, where court rulings overturned electoral victories due to party disputes.
After his PDP resignation, Yaroe consulted constituents across the nine local government areas of Adamawa South and political allies before joining the ADC.
He framed the move as part of a collective effort by opposition figures to prevent a drift toward a one-party state.
“We cannot all move to the ruling party. If everyone joins the APC, there will be no opposition left in the country. Democracy thrives when there is a strong voice of dissent,” he asserted.
Yaroe was among nine senators who defected to the ADC on March 12, 2026, in a significant realignment announced during Senate plenary. The group included lawmakers from the PDP, Labour Party (LP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), with defections formally read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This boosted the ADC’s presence in the Senate and positioned it as a growing opposition force, linked to figures like former Senate President David Mark, who leads the party.
Dismissing calls to join the APC with Governor Fintiri, Yaroe pointed to the lack of federal development in Adamawa South.
“With nine local governments in Adamawa South, there is hardly any federal presence no university, no polytechnic, no major health facility. What reason would I give my people for joining the APC?” he questioned.
Despite concerns over the ADC’s readiness for the 2027 elections and potential constitutional hurdles, Yaroe expressed confidence in the party’s leadership, citing experienced politicians familiar with Nigeria’s political and legal landscape.
The senator also indicated plans to seek reelection in 2027, describing it as potentially his final term in active politics. “By then, I would be above 75 years old and ready to bow out,” he noted.
The defections underscore ongoing opposition realignments ahead of 2027, with the ADC emerging as a platform for figures seeking to challenge the APC’s dominance while preserving multi-party democracy.
