Follow Us on Google
By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Senator representing Adamawa South Senatorial District, Binos Dauda Yaroe, has said that the lack of federal government presence in his constituency was the major reason behind his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Yaroe explained that his senatorial district, which comprises nine local government areas, has suffered years of neglect by the federal government, leaving the people without major institutions or critical infrastructure.
Speaking during an interaction with journalists, the lawmaker said it would have been difficult to justify joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when the party had not addressed the developmental challenges facing his constituency.
According to him, Adamawa South remains one of the most deprived senatorial districts in terms of federal presence.
“My constituency has about nine local governments, yet besides a solitary federal institution in Ganye, there has been virtually no federal presence. There is no university, no polytechnic, and no major federal healthcare facility,” Yaroe said.
The senator also lamented that a bill he sponsored for the establishment of a Federal College of Education in Numan failed to receive presidential assent under the APC-led government.
He added that several federal roads leading into the district are in deplorable condition, further compounding the hardship faced by residents.
Yaroe disclosed that some members of the APC had approached him to defect to the ruling party, but he challenged them to provide a convincing reason why he should join a party that had done little to improve the fortunes of his constituents.
“I told them to give me one good reason to join them when my constituency has been so deprived of federal projects. Joining such a party would amount to insulting my people because I would have nothing to tell them as the justification,” he said.
Although he admitted that someone suggested his legislative proposals might have received greater support if he had joined the ruling party earlier, Yaroe maintained that political decisions should not be based on personal gain alone.
“If they had told me earlier that my bills would pass if I joined them, I might have considered it just to bring benefits to my people, because my constituents come first,” he added.
Other News
Beyond development concerns, the senator said political loyalty also influenced his decision to align with the ADC, noting his long-standing relationship with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Yaroe said Atiku had stood by him at critical moments in his political career and he could not ignore such support.
“I have been with Atiku Abubakar from the beginning of my political journey. I am not someone who forgets people who stood by me in difficult times,” he said.
He recalled that Atiku and the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, supported him during periods of political tension within the PDP when issues of impunity and internal disagreements threatened party processes.
Yaroe noted that when the party faced difficult moments during the PDP senatorial primaries in 2019 and his re-election bid in 2023, Atiku’s intervention ensured that due process prevailed.
The senator further explained that joining the ADC alongside other opposition lawmakers was also part of a broader effort to strengthen democratic opposition in Nigeria.
According to him, about nine senators from different opposition parties have resolved to work together under the ADC platform to prevent the country from sliding into a one-party political system.
“Democracy thrives when there is a strong opposition. We cannot all move to the ruling party and leave the country without an alternative voice,” Yaroe said.
Despite concerns in some quarters about the preparedness of the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections, Yaroe expressed confidence that the party’s leadership and coalition of experienced politicians would position it as a formidable platform for opposition politics.
The senator also disclosed that he intends to seek re-election in 2027, noting that the next term would likely be his final outing in active politics.
By then, he said, he would be above 75 years old and ready to bow out after decades of public service.
