By Achile Danjuma
Amidst ongoing internal crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State is at the center of intense speculation regarding a potential defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources within the APC, speaking on condition of anonymity, claim that the governor has been heavily wooed by the party’s national leadership. According to these sources, a key part of the alleged offer is an automatic ticket for Governor Lawal to contest the 2027 gubernatorial election under the APC banner.
Furthermore, the speculation suggests a power-sharing agreement has been proposed, allocating 40 percent of elective and appointive positions in the state to Lawal’s camp, with the remaining 60 percent reserved for existing APC stakeholders.
However, one APC insider expressed mixed feelings about the prospective move. “Governor Lawal has accepted the offer in principle to leave the PDP,” the source said. “But for many of us at the state level, this isn’t a cause for celebration. We stand to lose a significant number of positions due to this arrangement made at the top. We are confident our party can reclaim Zamfara in 2027, with or without him, so his defection doesn’t feel like a victory.”
Despite the mounting rumors, Governor Lawal has publicly stated that his political future hinges on a single factor: the outcome of a pending court case. Addressing PDP stakeholders in Gusau, the governor clarified that any decision to defect would be contingent on the Court of Appeal’s verdict regarding the party’s internal leadership crisis.
The crisis stems from a factional national convention held in Ibadan, which produced Tanimu Turaki (SAN) as national chairman. This faction is backed by a group of PDP governors but is contested by another wing of the party. A high court in Ibadan has already declared the convention illegal, a decision now being challenged at the Court of Appeal.
Reinforcing the governor’s position, the Zamfara State PDP Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Haliru Andi, told journalists that Governor Lawal’s loyalty to the party remains intact for now. “Governor Dauda Lawal, alongside our stakeholders, members, and supporters, has no intention of joining any other party,” Andi stated. “He will only consider his options if the Appeal Court fails to resolve the internal crisis in our favor.
As long as the PDP remains the legitimate party, the governor will remain in the PDP. We are all awaiting the court’s verdict to determine the legitimacy of the Turaki leadership and the Ibadan convention.”