No fewer than 34 Katsina State House of Assembly aspirants from 18 local government areas have abandoned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The defectors have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing their new political home as a formidable party.
They cited injustice, poor leadership, and lack of opportunities as their reasons for leaving the ADC. According to a report by ThisDay, the defectors, along with some of their supporters, were formally received into the PDP.
Reasons for Defection
Hon. Ahmad Yusuf Jaguma, speaking on behalf of the defectors at a reception held on Tuesday evening, June 9, 2026, in Katsina, stated that they decided to leave the ADC due to injustice and poor leadership within the party. "We thought deeply and discovered that the PDP is the solution. We have abandoned a disorganized journey and returned to our original home," Jaguma said.
According to Jaguma, many initially joined the ADC with the hope that Katsina PDP political leader, Senator Yakubu Lado, would also defect to the party. However, after Lado failed to join the ADC, they decided to retrace their steps and return to the PDP.
PDP Welcomes Defectors
Senator Yakubu Lado assured the new members of equal treatment and reiterated that the PDP's doors remain open to everyone. The 2027 PDP governorship candidate expressed confidence that more politicians would soon join the PDP. He revealed that the PDP was already in discussions with several prominent political figures across the north-west state.
Recall that former Adamawa governorship candidate Senator Aishatu Binani also left the ADC to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Binani cited NDC's commitment to structured governance as a key reason for her decision to move ahead of the 2027 election. According to the former gubernatorial candidate, her political base played a significant role in facilitating the transition to the NDC.
Other ADC Defections
In related news, Babachir Lawal exited the ADC, condemning presidential primaries as 'massively rigged' in favor of Atiku Abubakar. Lawal accused the former vice president and his allies of vote-rigging and manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. The opposition figure predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's political structure would outperform Atiku's in future electoral battles.
