KEY POINTS

• Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal has defected from the PDP to the APC after consultations with political stakeholders in the state.
• He cited the prolonged leadership crisis and internal disagreements within the PDP as major reasons for his decision.
• His defection raises the number of APC governors in Nigeria to 31, further strengthening the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the need for political stability and improved governance in the state.

The announcement was made on Monday through a statement issued by the governor’s media aide, Nuhu Anka, who explained that the decision followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders, community leaders, elders, and supporters across Zamfara State.

According to the statement, the governor took the decision after carefully reviewing the current political situation within the PDP and considering what he described as the best interest of the state’s development and stability.

Internal Crisis in PDP Cited as Major Reason

The statement attributed the governor’s defection largely to the prolonged internal crisis within the PDP at both the national and state levels.

It noted that persistent leadership disagreements, structural challenges, and unresolved conflicts within the party had created uncertainty that could undermine effective governance in Zamfara State.

Anka stated that these issues had continued to generate distractions capable of affecting the administration’s ability to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

He emphasised that Governor Lawal concluded that aligning with another political platform was necessary to ensure a more stable environment for governance and development.

The governor also stressed that his decision to join the ruling APC was partly influenced by the need to foster stronger cooperation with the Federal Government.

According to his aide, the new political alignment is expected to enhance collaboration that could help address critical challenges facing the state, particularly insecurity and development deficits.

The statement said the governor remains committed to strengthening unity in Zamfara, improving security across the state, and accelerating socio-economic development.

The final consultations that led to the decision reportedly took place at the Government House in Gusau and were coordinated by the Deputy Governor, alongside senior government officials and influential political stakeholders.