Defection: Fear grips Dauda Lawal, plans to visit President Tinubu to save seat ahead of 2027
as northern APC rejects Gov over governance failure
Panic is sweeping through the corridors of power in Zamfara State as Governor Dauda Lawal scrambles to arrange an urgent meeting with President Bola Tinubu tomorrow, in what insiders describe as a last-ditch effort to “save his own ass” amid a hemorrhaging of support from his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) base to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor’s planned Abuja dash comes hot on the heels of a fresh wave of defections, including high-profile lawmakers and grassroots leaders ditching the PDP over allegations of neglect, insecurity, and governance failures.
Sources close to Lawal reveal he’s seeking federal intervention to stem the tide, fearing it could torpedo his 2027 re-election bid and leave him politically isolated in the volatile northwest region.
Compounding Lawal’s woes, the Northern APC Stakeholders Forum has publicly rebuffed any notion of welcoming him into their fold, labelling his administration a catastrophic liability.
In a statement, the forum’s chairman, Alhaji Adamu Musa, declared: “We are open to embracing leaders who truly serve the people, but Governor Dauda Lawal’s record is one of abject failure.
“His entrance into the APC would spell doom for our party, driving away our core supporters and undermining our principles.
“Insecurity rages unchecked, infrastructure crumbles, and the people’s trust has been shattered – we cannot afford to associate with such woeful performance.”
Musa emphasized that Lawal’s “less than average” governance in all ramifications – from stalled development projects to authoritarian tactics – has pushed Zamfara to its “lowest point.”
He warned that any attempt to integrate the governor could trigger a “mass exodus” from the APC, citing how Lawal’s policies have “undermined democratic institutions and gravely compromised citizen welfare.”
The forum’s position, Musa added, reflects widespread sentiment among northern stakeholders who view Lawal’s rule as “a profound betrayal of public trust,” leaving the state “economically stagnant, socially divided, and politically stifled.”
The latest blow to the PDP came this week with the defection of serving Zamfara State House of Assembly member Maharazu Salisu, representing Maradun II Constituency.
Announcing his switch at the APC State Secretariat in Gusau on Tuesday, Salisu blamed the move on “pressure from my constituents,” who decried the PDP government’s “neglect and lack of developmental projects.”
He stated: “My esteemed constituents summoned me and lamented that the ruling PDP has failed to deliver on the campaign promises made by Governor Dauda Lawal.
“I have done my best as a lawmaker to ensure my constituency benefits from the dividends of democracy, but all efforts proved abortive.
“Apart from being excluded from the list of beneficiaries of state government projects, there has never been any political appointment for my constituency or Maradun Local Government in general.”
