Six Zamfara lawmakers dump PDP for APC over internal crisis, governance concerns

Six members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal party crises, factional leadership and dissatisfaction with governance in the state.

The lawmakers formally announced their defection in separate but similarly worded letters addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly and presented on the floor of the House on Thursday.

The defectors are Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi (Gummi I), Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North), Barr. Bashir Abubakar Masama (Bukkuyum North), Hon. Bashir Bello (Bungudu West), Hon. Amiru Ahmad Keta (Tsafe West), and Hon. Muktar Nasir Kaura (Kaura North).

In their letters titled “Notice of Resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC)”, the lawmakers said their decision followed what they described as lingering and unresolved crises within the PDP, which had resulted in factional leadership across various levels of the party.

One of the letters read: “I write to formally inform the Honourable Speaker and members of this Honourable House of my decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to lingering and unresolved crises within my party, which have resulted in factional leadership.”

The lawmakers said their defection was in line with Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which permits lawmakers to change parties in the event of a division within their political party.

Beyond internal party disputes, the lawmakers also accused the PDP-led administration in Zamfara State, under Governor Dauda Lawal, of poor leadership, alleging negligence in addressing the state’s security challenges and failure to fulfil campaign promises.

“Therefore, my decision is consonant with and pursuant to Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), as well as the poor leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal, particularly in the areas of insecurity and unfulfilled campaign promises,” the letters stated.