Kaduna PDP: Three Reps Members Defect to APC

The political landscape in Kaduna State witnessed a major shake-up on Tuesday as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost three of its key representatives in the House of Representatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This defection was formally confirmed on the floor of the House during plenary, marking a significant step in the APC’s ongoing consolidation of power in the North-West geopolitical zone.

Dependable NG reports that the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, read the separate defection notices sent by the three federal legislators: Aliyu Abdullahi, representing Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituency; Abdulkareem Ahmed, representing Kaduna South Federal Constituency; and Sadiq Abdullahi, representing Sabon Gari Federal Constituency. The representatives all cited what they described as the protracted and unresolved internal crisis plaguing the national and state structures of the PDP as the primary reason for abandoning the platform upon which they were elected. In their respective letters, the lawmakers stressed that the internal party wrangling had severely hampered their ability to effectively represent and deliver the dividends of democracy to their constituents, making a move to the ruling party a pragmatic necessity to align with the government at the centre.

This high-profile movement of federal lawmakers is a clear indicator of the growing instability within the PDP, which has been grappling with post-election crises and factional disputes. Analysts view the defection of these representatives from Kaduna, a politically significant state, as a major boost for the APC and its efforts to deepen its roots across the country. The move also highlights the continuing fluidity in Nigeria’s political class, where legislators frequently cross-carpet to the ruling party, often citing the need to join forces with the government of the day to attract development projects. The PDP’s leadership is now facing renewed pressure to address the exodus, as the minority caucus in the House has consistently called for the seats of defecting members to be declared vacant in accordance with the 1999 Constitution, arguing that the lawmakers should not retain their mandates after leaving the party that sponsored their election. The political ramifications of this latest shift are expected to resonate through the state as the APC strengthens its grip ahead of future electoral contests.