Kaduna State witnessed a major political realignment today as 21 prominent politicians, including elected representatives, former lawmakers, and party stalwarts from the PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP, officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Leading the wave of decampees was Senator Danjuma Laah, alongside Hon. Godfrey Ali Gaiya, a former member of the House of Representatives, and Hon. Amos Gwamna Magaji, the current representative of Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency. Others included Hon. Donatus K. Mathew (Kaura Federal Constituency), Hon. Henry Marah Zakarieh (Jaba Constituency, Kaduna State House of Assembly), and Hon. Samuel Kambai Koza (Zango Constituency, Kaduna State House of Assembly).
Barrister Emmanuel Kantiok (Zonkwa Constituency), Hon. Ado Doguwa Audu (three-time House of Reps member), and top opposition figures such as Eng. Michael Auta, the Labour Party’s Zone 3 senatorial candidate in the 2023 elections, also made the switch. NNPP heavyweights, including Hon. Kenneth Suwa, Hon. Ben Kure, and former state chairman Hon. Nuhu Audu, further bolstered the defection.
Receiving the defectors, Governor Uba Sani hailed their decision as a testament to APC’s growing influence and the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance. “This is a defining moment for Kaduna politics. Our doors remain open to progressive minds who want to contribute to the state’s development,” he stated.
The mass defection, described as a major political coup, is expected to significantly weaken the opposition in Southern Kaduna, a region traditionally seen as a stronghold for opposition parties.
With these heavyweight defections, Kaduna’s political landscape is set for a seismic shift ahead of future elections.
