Zamfara Governor Weighs Party Switch as PDP Crisis Deepens

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has opened consultations with top political stakeholders over the party platform he may use for his 2027 re-election bid, as uncertainty in the Peoples Democratic Party continues.

The governor called an emergency meeting on Friday night at the Rescue Hall inside Government House in Gusau, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Those present included the state PDP chairman, the governor’s Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the State Government, and senior party elders.

The meeting came after months of public speculation over whether Lawal would remain in the PDP or move to another party. His associates had repeatedly denied reports of an imminent defection, while opposition figures in the state continued to claim that talks were ongoing.

An All Progressives Congress chieftain, Musa Mailaya Mada, had earlier said the governor contacted some APC leaders in Abuja about joining the ruling party. That claim added to pressure within the Zamfara PDP, where members are divided over how the governor should respond to developments ahead of the next election cycle.

A source at the Friday meeting said Lawal told attendees he wanted to discuss a practical path forward after the Independent National Electoral Commission released a timetable showing political activities are expected to begin in April.

According to the same source, Lawal said he planned to stay in the PDP for now despite the internal crisis and would wait for the outcome of an appeal before making a final decision.

Even so, participants reportedly urged him to leave the PDP. What they did not settle was which party should become his next political home.

Some stakeholders argued he should remain in the PDP, citing a recent court decision that affirmed the Turaki-led executives as the recognised leadership of the party in the state.

Others said he should move to the APC, pointing to the political balance in the North-West where six governors are now in the ruling party. Those in this camp said existing divisions within the Zamfara APC could give Lawal room to negotiate influence if he defects.

A third bloc advised that the governor should consider the African Democratic Congress. Their argument was that public sentiment in many communities appears less favourable to the APC and that ADC could emerge as the strongest opposition platform.

There has been no official statement from the state chapter of the PDP on the final outcome of the meeting. However, party stalwart Kabir Amadu Mai Palace said attendees agreed that wider consultations should continue at ward and local government levels before any final position is announced.

Sources said a strategic committee is expected to be constituted, and that the governor may make a formal pronouncement after Eid al-Fitr once consultations are completed.