Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has stated that the ongoing crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prompted his decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by the Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mani Mummuni, following a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary decision taken in the interest of the state.
According to the statement, the decision to join the APC was reached after consultations with key stakeholders in Zamfara amid ongoing legal challenges facing the PDP.
The statement noted that Lawal had made efforts to reconcile factions within the PDP in a bid to stabilise the party ahead of future elections but said the attempts yielded little progress.
It added that prolonged legal battles within the party, including court cases related to its national convention, raised concerns about potential implications for candidates contesting the 2027 elections.
The spokesperson also said the governor had initially agreed to wait for the outcome of a court case before making a final decision on his political future.
On Monday, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria in Abuja dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP against an earlier judgment by the Federal High Court that restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Following the ruling, the statement said the governor decided to leave the PDP and join the APC, describing the move as one aimed at protecting the interests of Zamfara State and sustaining the state government’s “Rescue and Rebuild” agenda.
