Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has hinged his possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the outcome of the Appeal Court judgment concerning the legality of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki’s leadership and the Ibadan national convention of the party.
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Lawal spoke at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital. His Special Adviser on Media, Public Enlightenment and Communication, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, disclosed that stakeholders from all 14 local government areas of the state attended the meeting.
Kaura explained that the meeting became necessary following the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 general election, which require political parties to conclude their congresses at least 300 days before the polls.
According to him, “The guidelines indicate that by April or May, all party congresses must be concluded. There are litigations surrounding the PDP at the national level. If we remain without exploring options, we may face uncertainty and others may take the credit.”
He added that the Appeal Court’s decision on the Ibadan convention would determine the governor’s continued stay in the PDP.
“If the judgment is not in our favour, opinions are divided. Some prefer the APC; others the ADC, while some advocate forming a new party,” Kaura said, noting that a committee has been set up to consult widely across the state before a final decision is taken.
The development comes amid mounting pressure on Governor Lawal to dump the PDP for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Lawal is currently one of only three PDP governors left in the country, alongside Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
Sources said the governor recently met with cabinet members and key stakeholders in Gusau to deliberate on the state’s political future, with many reportedly favouring a switch to the APC.
The meeting followed the defection of Adamawa State Governor, Adamu Fintiri, who led commissioners, special advisers and other PDP stakeholders in his state to join the APC, further shrinking the opposition party’s ranks.
If Lawal eventually defects, analysts say the move could significantly alter political alignments in Zamfara and the wider North West. The APC lost the state to the PDP in the 2023 governorship election when Lawal defeated former governor Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence.
Highly placed sources indicated that the influence of former Zamfara governor, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, and his closeness to President Bola Tinubu, have been central to ongoing consultations. Security concerns, federal and state alignment, internal PDP crises at the national level and 2027 electoral calculations are also said to be key considerations.
Zamfara remains one of the states hardest hit by banditry, making closer ties with the federal government a strategic factor in the governor’s deliberations.
Political observers note that any defection by Lawal could trigger legislative realignments in the state, as lawmakers may follow suit to retain access to executive power, potentially weakening the PDP structure further in Zamfara.
Governor Fintiri’s recent move marked the eighth defection of a sitting governor to the APC within the past year, bringing the number of APC governors nationwide to 30.
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