In a significant political shift in Zamfara State, Hon. Muhammad Lawal Kuryar Madaro, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate who woefully lost the Kaura Namoda South State House of Assembly election, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The move was announced today at a high-profile gathering organised by Hon. Yazeed Shehu Danfulani Projects at the Taula Arena in Gusau.
The defection comes just months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared APC’s Kamilu Sa’idu the victor in the August supplementary election for the Kaura Namoda South constituency.
Returning Officer Lawal Sa’adu from the Federal University Gusau confirmed Sa’idu’s triumph, with the APC candidate securing 1,181 votes against Kurya’s 194 in the runoff.
Overall, across the constituency, the APC amassed 8,182 votes to the PDP’s 5,544, highlighting the APC’s strong grip despite the high-stakes contest reportedly backed by a multi-billion naira war chest from PDP Governor Dauda Lawal.
Kurya was reportedly sponsored with billions at the last election by Governor Dauda Lawal, yet faced rejection over the governor’s failures.
Having switched to the APC, he expressed disillusionment with his former party’s direction and the leadership of Governor Lawal.
He lambasted the Lawal administration for losing focus, particularly on security, which he blamed for his electoral defeat and the broader instability plaguing Zamfara.
However, he urged his followers to unite behind APC leader Dr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, in efforts to restore peace and progress.
The timing of Kurya’s switch could signal further defections in Zamfara’s polarised political landscape, where banditry and inter-party rivalries continue to dominate.