34 ADC Assembly Aspirants Move to PDP as APC Seeks Inuwa's Return

The troubles in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State got worse on Tuesday. Thirty-four House of Assembly aspirants switched to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly trying to bring back Mustapha Inuwa, a former governorship aspirant.

This change comes just days after the ADC had a disputed primary that split the party into different groups. Now, the ADC has parallel structures and competing claims for its governorship ticket as the 2027 general elections approach.

Reports say that senior APC members held separate meetings with Mr Inuwa. He is a former Secretary to the Katsina State Government and was a top contender for the ADC governorship ticket.

Mr Inuwa was one of the founding members of the APC in Katsina. He left the party after he could not secure its governorship ticket for the 2023 elections. Later, he joined the PDP, where he worked as the director-general for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign in Katsina. He then moved to the ADC.

The APC reportedly first sent Jabiru Tsauri for talks. Tsauri is a former chief of staff to the governor and now heads AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria. The party later sent Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe for another private meeting.

Details about these discussions were not shared, but the outreach seems to be part of the APC’s plan to strengthen its position ahead of the upcoming elections.

ADC’s Internal Crisis

The APC’s actions come as the ADC faces major internal issues after its governorship primary.

The party has been dealing with leadership and candidate disputes. This has led to rival structures and competing claims for its governorship ticket.

Mr Inuwa and some other aspirants questioned the emergence of Ahmed Kaita as the party’s governorship candidate. They claimed the process was not transparent and did not follow the Electoral Act.

This disagreement has deepened the divisions within the party and created uncertainty about its unity in the state.

34 Aspirants Defect

In a blow to the ADC, 34 House of Assembly aspirants from 18 local government areas announced their defection to the PDP.

The aspirants joined PDP leaders at a gathering on Tuesday evening. They said they were leaving due to injustice, poor leadership, and a lack of internal democracy within the ADC.

Ahmad Yusuf Jaguma, who leads the ADC State Assembly aspirants, spoke for the group. He said they lost confidence in the party’s leadership.

“We thought deeply, and we found that PDP is the solution. We left a disorganised journey and returned to our original home,” Mr Jaguma said.

He added that many of them joined the ADC because they believed Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke would also join the party, but that did not happen.

PDP Welcomes Defectors

The PDP welcomed the defectors warmly. The PDP chairperson in Katsina State, Nuraddeen Kurfi, said their return shows the party’s growing popularity.

Mr Kurfi said the PDP had stayed united after its primaries. He promised equal opportunities for the new members.

“You will have a full opportunity and justice in PDP. This party is home for everyone, and we are confident you will be proud of the decision you made,” he said.

The PDP governorship candidate, Yakubu Danmarke, also welcomed the defectors. He predicted that more politicians would join the party soon.

Mr Danmarke said talks with other important political figures in the state are ongoing.

Political Implications

These latest events highlight the challenges facing the ADC in Katsina. Internal disputes are overshadowing the party’s efforts to position itself as a strong challenger to the APC.

With defections to the PDP and the APC trying to attract key figures like Mr Inuwa, political watchers say the ADC may struggle to stay united before the 2027 elections unless it resolves its internal issues.