Zamfara PDP urges Gov Lawal to join APC
Pressure is mounting on Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Lawal is one of the only three governors
Pressure is mounting on Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Lawal is one of the only three governors left in the PDP, the others being Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).
With the fate of the party hanging in the balance on account of division ahead of next year’s elections, the governor met with his cabinet members and other stakeholders in Gusau on Friday night to discuss the way forward.
They were said to have come to the conclusion that they needed to switch camps to the ruling party.
The meeting came hours after Adamawa State Governor Adamu Fintiri led 22 commissioners and special advisers, state chairman of the PDP and other stakeholders to join the APC.
If Lawal eventually joins the APC, the move could significantly recalibrate political alignments in the state and the wider North-West.
The APC lost control of the state to PDP in the 2023 election when Lawal defeated Bello Matawalle, the current Minister of State for Defence.
Highly placed sources in Kaduna, Abuja and Gusau told The Nation that the closeness of a former governor of the state, Senator Abdulaziz Yaro to President Bola Tinubu, and his assurances were pivotal in convincing Governor Lawal and other PDP stakeholders to weigh various factors involved.
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Sources also said the key factors driving the political calculus include federal/state alignment, meltdown within the PDP at national level and internal pressures among PDP stakeholders in Zamfara State.
Party stakeholders believe that political proximity to Abuja within APC can translate into greater access to federal support, stronger security collaboration to tackle bandits’ insurgency in Zamfara as well as increased political protection and influence.
Zamfara remains one of Nigeria’s most security-challenged states, making federal alignment a strategic consideration.
Also, lingering tensions within the PDP at the national and regional levels have continued to influence calculations at the state levels: thus, if Governor Lawal perceives instability or limited growth prospects within the PDP structure, defection could be framed as strategic survival rather than ideological migration.
Furthermore, 2027 electoral positioning, including considerations for re-election prospects, succession plans, control of state party machinery, influence in deciding senatorial and House races are among factors that Gov Lawal is currently negotiating for favourable terms within APC’s power configuration in Zamfara.
An APC source in Gusau, who spoke on the telephone with The Nation, explained that the governor is managing internal consensus before any major move, adding that there may be ongoing negotiations involving personalities such as Senator Yari and Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, behind the scenes.
“Stakeholder buy-in is crucial to prevent fragmentation, and a unilateral defection without party structure backing could weaken rather than strengthen his political base.
“Definitely, a defection and loss of a sitting governor will be an immediate structural weakening for PDP across Zamfara State.
“Legislative realignments will take place as lawmakers may defect en masse to retain access to executive power and remaining PDP elements may become politically marginalised,” he said.
Fintiri is the eighth governor to dump his party for the APC within the last one year: seven from PDP and one from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
His Friday defection brings to 30 the number of governors in APC.
