Anthony Yaro has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after losing the party’s senatorial ticket through a consensus arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
The senator, who represents Gombe South Senatorial District, announced his resignation from the APC in a statement issued on Saturday, saying consultations with political allies, family members and constituents had informed his decision to leave the ruling party.
Sunday PUNCH learnt that Yaro lost the APC return ticket to Jerry Damara, who was adopted by party leaders as the consensus candidate.
In his statement, Yaro appealed to supporters for understanding over his recent political movements, insisting that his earlier defection to the APC had been motivated by a desire to better serve the interests of Gombe South through collaboration with the federal government.
“Why I left the PDP initially was not out of disdain for our great party, but out of a sincere belief that joining the APC would allow me to better serve your interests at the national level,” he said. “I sought collaboration, not confrontation.”
The senator suggested, however, that his expectations within the ruling party had not materialised.
Yaro acknowledged that his shifting political allegiance may have unsettled supporters across the district, but argued that his return to the PDP reflected accountability rather than inconsistency.
According to him, extensive consultations with elder statesmen, associates and constituents convinced him to return to the opposition party, which he described as the platform that first embraced the aspirations of the people of Gombe South.
“The PDP remains the party that first believed in our collective dream for a greater Gombe South,” he said, citing improved roads, healthcare, education and youth empowerment among his priorities.
Reaffirming his political ambitions, Yaro declared himself ready to continue representing the district and urged supporters to remain united ahead of future contests.
“I am ready to run. I am ready to win. I am ready to continue defending your interests with every breath in my body,” he said.
He also called on residents not to see themselves as “pawns in any political chess game”, but as “architects” of their own political future.
