Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the prolonged internal crisis and legal disputes within the opposition party as the major reason for his decision.
The defection was formally announced on Monday by the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mallam Mani Mummuni, following a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a strategic and necessary step taken in the best interest of Zamfara State.
According to the statement, the decision to join the ruling APC came after extensive consultations with political stakeholders across the state, especially in light of the unresolved leadership crisis and ongoing legal battles that have continued to affect the PDP.
Part of the statement read:
“Governor Dauda Lawal has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. The decision was reached after wide consultations and has received the endorsement of key stakeholders across Zamfara State.”
The spokesperson explained that the governor had remained loyal to the PDP for a long time and had made several efforts to reconcile the warring factions within the party before eventually deciding to leave.
“Governor Lawal demonstrated strong commitment to the PDP and made sincere efforts to reconcile the different factions in the party. His goal was to ensure unity and stability within the party ahead of future elections,” Idris stated.
He added that attempts to resolve the party’s internal crisis through reconciliation and out-of-court settlements failed, resulting in prolonged legal battles that could negatively affect the party’s prospects, particularly in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.
“Efforts to restore peace within the party through dialogue and out-of-court settlements proved unsuccessful. Instead, the situation deteriorated into a series of legal battles that may have serious consequences for party leaders and candidates in the 2027 elections,” the statement noted.
Idris further explained that Governor Lawal remained one of the few leaders in the PDP who continued to stay despite the ongoing crisis, especially among governors seeking re-election.
“Governor Lawal was the last PDP governor seeking a second term who chose to remain in the party despite the crisis. He stayed on in the hope that party leaders would show maturity and take decisive steps to resolve the issues,” he said.
The statement also revealed that during several meetings with political stakeholders in recent weeks, the governor had been urged to join the APC but insisted that he would take a final decision after the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
“During consultations with stakeholders, the governor acknowledged their calls for him to move to the APC but made it clear that he would wait for the outcome of the Court of Appeal judgment before making a final decision,” Idris added.
According to the statement, the turning point came on Monday when the Court of Appeal in Abuja dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier judgment delivered on October 31 by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court.
The Federal High Court had earlier restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16.
The appellate court’s decision effectively ended Governor Lawal’s stay in the PDP, prompting his defection to the APC.
The spokesperson explained that the governor’s decision was ultimately driven by his desire to protect the political future and development agenda of Zamfara State.
“With the appellate court judgment, Governor Lawal decided to prioritise the interest of Zamfara State by joining the All Progressives Congress in order to continue and sustain the Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild mission,” the statement concluded.
Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal Defects to APC, Cites Prolonged PDP Crisis and Legal Battles
