In a seismic blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina State, three federal lawmakers, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri (Mashi/Dutsi), Hon. Aliyu Iliyasu Ruma (Bakori/Danja), and Hon. Umar Sani (Safana/Batsari/Danmusa), crossed the carpet to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during a charged plenary session in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The defections, announced by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas in the presence of Katsina Governor Dikko Umar Radda, were driven by festering internal crises within the Katsina PDP, particularly a bitter leadership feud that has fractured the party’s cohesion.
This high-profile switch not only fortifies the APC’s dominance in Katsina, a northern political powerhouse with 5.8 million voters, but also underscores the fluid, patronage-driven nature of Nigerian politics as alignments shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawmakers, in their defection letters read on the House floor, pointed to the PDP’s inability to resolve its internal wrangling as the catalyst for their exit.
At the heart of the crisis is a long-standing rift between factions loyal to former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, under whom Majigiri served as a key ally, and supporters of PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, led by Yakubu Lado Danmarke.
This schism, which erupted into suspensions and counter-suspensions as far back as December 2022, has crippled the party’s ability to present a united front. “We can no longer operate in a party torn apart by endless disputes,” Majigiri, a former PDP state chairman, declared in a statement to reporters post-plenary, flanked by Radda and APC chieftains.
He emphasized that the APC’s “stability and vision” under President Bola Tinubu and Governor Radda offered a better platform to serve their constituents, a claim echoed by Ruma and Sani, who cited grassroots support for their decision.
The defections, staged with choreographed pomp as Radda looked on, are a coup for the APC, which has been aggressively consolidating its grip on Katsina, the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The state, pivotal for its electoral weight, has oscillated between parties in recent years, with the PDP briefly gaining ground in 2022 when Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita and others defected from the APC.
However, the tide has turned decisively, with the APC now claiming all federal lawmakers from Katsina following this latest exodus.
Governor Radda, beaming with confidence, hailed the lawmakers as “patriots” who recognize his administration’s strides in security, education, and infrastructure, such as the ongoing rehabilitation of the Katsina-Daura road.
“This is a vote of confidence in our Renewed Hope agenda,” he told journalists, referencing Tinubu’s national blueprint.
Nationally, the defections tilt the balance in the House, boosting the APC’s tally to 182 seats while shrinking the PDP’s to 112 out of 360, according to updated figures from the House clerk.
This shift strengthens the APC’s legislative muscle, easing the passage of Tinubu’s ambitious reforms, including two recently approved tax bills.
It also mirrors a broader wave of opposition defections, from Delta’s Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and six PDP lawmakers to Kano’s Senator Kawu Sumaila from the NNPP, signaling a potential APC juggernaut as 2027 looms.
Political analyst Dr. Kabir Musa Yandaki of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University described the trend as “a calculated collapse of opposition structures,” warning that Nigeria risks sliding toward a one-party state if unchecked.
The PDP, reeling from the loss, has vowed to fight back through the courts. National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba branded the defections “a betrayal of the Katsina electorate” and announced plans to challenge the lawmakers’ seats under Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates lawmakers to vacate their positions if they defect without proof of a party split.
The PDP’s Forum of Former Speakers, in a May 4, 2025, statement, urged swift legal action, citing precedents like the 2018 defections that triggered by-elections.
However, such cases often languish in Nigeria’s judiciary, and the APC’s institutional clout, including influence over INEC, may blunt the PDP’s efforts.
On the streets of Katsina, reactions are mixed. In Mashi, Majigiri’s stronghold, some constituents praised his move, citing Radda’s agricultural subsidies as a draw, while others, like trader Aisha Bello, decried it as “politics of the stomach.” Social media buzzed with commentary: @Imranmuhdz called it a “game-changer for APC in Katsina,” while @Miqdad_Jnr lamented, “PDP is finished in Katsina—no single lawmaker left.”
The defections have also stirred unease within the APC, where integrating heavyweights like Majigiri, a political veteran, could spark rivalries with stalwarts like Senator Abdul’aziz Musa Yar’adua, who dominates Katsina Central.
What you should know
The Katsina PDP’s collapse is a microcosm of its national struggles, with leadership tussles and a failure to counter Tinubu’s momentum weakening its opposition role.
As the APC absorbs defectors, the PDP faces an existential crisis, compounded by the Labour Party’s own implosion after suspending Governor Alex Otti.
For Katsina’s voters, grappling with insecurity and economic hardship, the defections raise questions about whether party switches will translate into tangible benefits or merely shuffle power among elites.
As Nigeria’s political chessboard realigns, the APC’s growing dominance in Katsina signals a challenging road ahead for the opposition, with the 2027 elections looming as a decisive battleground.
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