Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto, has resigned and also defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Zonal Vice Chairman of the PDP for Zone C in Niger State, Yahaya Abdullahi, confirmed the defection to Channels Television on Tuesday.

“Officials have just issued the former Deputy Governor with the membership card of the party. We have caught a lion of Niger State politics, he is not a big fish but a lion,” he said.

Ibeto who was the former deputy governor of Niger State (under the administration of Muazu Babangida Aliyu), resigned on Monday after he arrived from Pretoria on Sunday.

It was gathered that he handed over his letter of resignation at the Ministry of External Affairs before proceeding to pick a membership form of the PDP at his ward in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State at about 3:00 pm on Tuesday.

Ibeto had left the PDP for the APC, few months to the 2015 general elections following a disagreement with his boss at the time, Aliyu.

He was initially included among President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees but he was dropped at the last minute.

Ibeto was, however, later nominated and appointed as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The PDP believes his return is bound to enhance the party’s chances in the state ahead of the 2019 elections.

The Zonal Vice Chairman, however, ruled out the possibility of automatic tickets for members of the party, adding that all members seeking elective positions have to go through the processes.

When asked to comment on the defection, the APC Chairman in Niger State, Mohammed Imam, said the party has not been formally informed of the development and would make its position known when it receives official communication on the matter.