The internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State deepened on Tuesday as 34 House of Assembly aspirants defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly intensified efforts to bring former governorship aspirant Mustapha Inuwa back into its fold.
The latest developments come days after disputed primaries split the ADC into rival factions, leaving the party with parallel structures and competing claims to its governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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According to reports, senior APC figures recently held separate meetings with Mr Inuwa, a former Secretary to the Katsina State Government and a leading contender for the ADC governorship ticket.
Mr Inuwa, a founding member of the APC in Katsina, left the party after failing to secure its governorship ticket for the 2023 elections. He subsequently joined the PDP, where he served as director-general of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign in Katsina State, before joining the ADC.
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The report said the APC first sent Jabiru Tsauri, a former chief of staff to the governor and current chief executive officer of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, to meet Mr Inuwa. The party later reportedly dispatched Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe for another closed-door meeting.
Details of the discussions were not disclosed, but the outreach is believed to be part of the APC’s efforts to strengthen its position ahead of the next election cycle.
ADC’s internal crisis
The APC’s reported move comes as the ADC struggles with internal divisions following its governorship primary.
The party has been embroiled in a leadership and candidate dispute that produced rival structures and competing claims to its governorship ticket.
Mr Inuwa and some other aspirants had challenged the emergence of Ahmed Kaita as the party’s governorship candidate, alleging that the process was neither transparent nor consistent with provisions of the Electoral Act.
The disagreement has since deepened divisions within the party and triggered uncertainty over its organisational cohesion in the state.
34 aspirants defect
In a further setback for the ADC, 34 House of Assembly aspirants from 18 local government areas announced their defection to the PDP.
The aspirants, who were received by PDP leaders at a gathering on Tuesday evening, cited what they described as injustice, poor leadership and lack of internal democracy within the ADC.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ahmad Yusuf Jaguma, leader of the ADC State Assembly aspirants, said they decided to leave after losing 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 said many of them initially joined the ADC believing that the PDP leader in the state, Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke, would also join the party, but reconsidered their position after that failed to happen.
PDP welcomes defectors
Welcoming the defectors, the PDP chairperson in Katsina State, Nuraddeen Kurfi, described their return as evidence of the party’s growing appeal.
Mr Kurfi said the PDP had remained united after its primaries and promised equal opportunities for the new members.
READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: Two primaries, one governorship ticket — Inside Katsina ADC crisis
“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 and predicted that more politicians would join the party in the coming weeks.
Mr Danmarke said discussions were ongoing with other prominent political figures in the state.
Political implications
The latest developments underscore the challenges facing the ADC in Katsina, where internal disputes have increasingly overshadowed the party’s efforts to position itself as a major challenger to the APC.
With defections to the PDP and reported attempts by the APC to attract influential figures such as Mr Inuwa, political observers say the party may face difficulties maintaining a united front ahead of the 2027 elections unless its internal disagreements are resolved.
