The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State has reportedly initiated contact with Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, a prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in an effort to persuade him to return to the APC. Inuwa, a founding member of the APC in the state, left the party after failing to secure its gubernatorial ticket in 2023.
After leaving the APC, Inuwa joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he served as the Director-General for the Abubakar Atiku campaign team in Katsina State. Under his leadership, Atiku garnered more votes than President Bola Tinubu in the state during the last presidential election.
In a bid to strengthen its chances in the upcoming elections, the APC dispatched two high-ranking officials to Inuwa's private residence for closed-door meetings. First, the party sent the former Chief of Staff to the state Governor and current CEO of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, Alhaji Jabiru Tsauri. Subsequently, the state's deputy governor, Alhaji Lawal Jobe, also visited Inuwa. Details of the discussions have not been made public.
Sources indicate that the APC recognizes Inuwa's significant political influence and organizational structure in the state and aims to secure his support before the election campaigns and voting process commence next year. The factional crisis within the ADC in Katsina has reportedly provided the APC with an opportunity to approach Inuwa.
The ADC in Katsina is currently divided into two factions, each with separate governorship candidates and duplicate candidates for various state and national positions. Inuwa contested for the ADC gubernatorial ticket but lost to Senator Ahmed Babba Kaita through a consensus agreement. Inuwa and other contestants alleged that the process was neither free nor fair and violated the Electoral Act.
Mass Defection to PDP
In a related development, 34 aspirants for the Katsina State House of Assembly have defected from the ADC to the PDP. The defectors, citing injustice and lack of opportunities as their primary reasons, were officially welcomed into the PDP during a reception held late Tuesday evening.
The aspirants, representing 18 local government areas, stated that they decided to return to the PDP after concluding that the ADC lacked proper structure and leadership. Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Ahmad Yusuf Jaguma, leader of the ADC State Assembly aspirants, said they left the ADC due to what he described as “injustice and poor leadership.”
“We thought deeply, and we found that PDP is the solution. We left a disorganized journey and returned to our original home,” Jaguma said. He explained that they initially joined the ADC hoping that Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke, a key PDP leader in the state, would also defect to the ADC. When that did not happen, they reconsidered their position.
The State PDP Chairman, Hon. Nuraddeen Amadi Kurfi, welcomed the new members, stating that their return demonstrates how the PDP continues to serve as a refuge for those seeking justice in politics. Kurfi boasted that no PDP member left the party after the primary elections, attributing this to the justice and unity among the party's leaders and members.
“You will have full opportunity and justice in PDP. This party is home for everyone, and we are confident you will be proud of the decision you made,” Kurfi said. The PDP governorship candidate, Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke, reiterated that the party would always welcome those who have experienced disappointment or injustice in other parties. Danmarke predicted that many more individuals would return to the PDP in the coming days, as the party is currently in talks with several major political figures in the state.
