34 ADC House of Assembly aspirants defect to PDP in Katsina as internal party crisis deepens ahead of the 2027 elections
The internal crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State has escalated after 34 House of Assembly aspirants defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), further shaking the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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The defections come days after a disputed primary election reportedly split the ADC into rival factions, with both sides laying claim to the party’s governorship ticket in the state.
The development has also coincided with reports of political manoeuvring by the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is allegedly working to re-integrate former governorship aspirant Mustapha Inuwa into its fold.
According to political sources, senior APC figures have held separate meetings with Inuwa, a former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, in efforts aimed at strengthening the party’s influence ahead of the next election cycle.
Inuwa, once a founding member of the APC in Katsina, left the party after failing to secure its governorship ticket in 2023. He later joined the PDP and played a key role in its campaign structure before moving to the ADC.
Meanwhile, tensions within the ADC continue to rise following the emergence of Ahmed Kaita as the party’s governorship candidate, a development contested by some aspirants who allege irregularities in the process.
On Tuesday, the 34 defecting aspirants from 18 local government areas formally joined the PDP, citing injustice, poor leadership and lack of internal democracy within the ADC.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Ahmad Yusuf Jaguma said the decision followed deep reflection and loss of confidence in the party’s leadership.
“We thought deeply, and we found that PDP is the solution. We left a disorganised journey and returned to our original home,” he said.
Welcoming the new members, Katsina PDP chairperson Nuraddeen Kurfi assured them of fairness and equal opportunity within the party.
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PDP governorship candidate Yakubu Danmarke also expressed optimism about further defections in the coming weeks as political realignments continue in the state.
