Senator Shehu Buba Umar, who represents the Bauchi South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has formally severed ties with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), defecting to the opposition Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) on Sunday.
The defection, which comes at a critical moment in the nation’s political calendar, marks one of the most high-profile exits from the APC in Bauchi State in recent memory and signals deepening fractures within the ruling party’s regional structure.
Sources close to the senator indicate that the immediate trigger for his departure was his controversial withdrawal from the APC’s governorship primary in Bauchi State.
Senator Buba, who had reportedly nursed ambitions of succeeding to the state’s highest executive office, pulled out of the contest after alleging that the primary was riddled with irregularities and constituted outright violations of the party’s own internal guidelines.
While the APC is yet to issue an official response to his allegations, the senator’s claims echo a growing chorus of grievances from party members across the country who have accused the ruling party of manipulating its internal processes to favor pre-selected candidates, a pattern that critics argue has become endemic within the party’s structures nationwide.
Announcing his resignation in what sources described as an emotionally charged statement, the senator pulled no punches in his indictment of the party he is leaving behind.
He cited what he characterized as a systematic lack of internal democracy, the unfair treatment of longstanding members, and an alarming disregard for the voices of grassroots supporters, the very constituency that forms the backbone of any democratic movement.
“The time has come for patriotic leaders to unite and rescue the country from poverty, unemployment, insecurity, economic hardship, and poor governance,” Buba declared, framing his defection not as a personal grievance but as a patriotic obligation.
“Our people deserve better governance, better opportunities, and leadership that truly listens to their concerns. Politics should be about service, justice, development, and improving the living conditions of the masses,” he added.
The language was deliberate and pointed, the words of a politician who wants his departure to be read as a principled stand rather than a bitter exit.
Significantly, Senator Buba was at pains to stress that his defection was not a knee-jerk reaction to the primary dispute. He revealed that the decision followed extensive consultations with a broad coalition of political associates, youth organizations, women’s groups, party stakeholders, and supporters spanning across Bauchi South and other parts of the state.
The breadth of those consultations, if accurate, suggests that the senator has been quietly laying the groundwork for this transition for some time and that his move to the PRP may carry with it a considerable base of mobilized supporters, potentially threatening the APC‘s hold on the senatorial district.
The choice of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) as his new political home is itself instructive. Founded on a legacy of progressive politics and populist ideals rooted in the north of Nigeria, the PRP presents itself as a party committed to justice, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and people-oriented governance values. Senator Buba explicitly cited this as motivating his decision.
In choosing the PRP, Buba appears to be making a calculated ideological statement, positioning himself as a champion of the downtrodden against a political establishment he now openly criticizes.
He described his move to the opposition party as aimed at deepening democratic governance, protecting the interests of ordinary Nigerians, and ensuring responsive representation for the people of Bauchi.
“Democracy can only flourish where political parties uphold fairness and equal opportunity and allow members to participate actively in decision-making,” he maintained, a direct rebuke to the internal culture of the party he has just left.
In closing, Senator Buba turned his resignation announcement into a rallying call, urging his supporters, political allies, and like-minded leaders across the state to join him in what he described as a collective struggle for good governance, social justice, accountability, and sustainable development in Bauchi State.
He pledged his continued commitment to the progress, unity, and development of the people of Bauchi, promising purposeful leadership and effective representation from his new political platform.
Whether those pledges will resonate with voters and whether his new party can provide the institutional muscle to back them up remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: with his dramatic exit, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has thrown the politics of Bauchi State wide open, and the APC will be watching its back.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Senator Shehu Buba Umar has defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Redemption Party, citing a lack of internal democracy and irregularities in the APC governorship primary.
His exit is seen as a major political blow to the APC in Bauchi State and could reshape the state’s political landscape ahead of future elections.
