In a significant political realignment, six serving members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have officially abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection, announced on Wednesday, December 25, 2025, in Gusau, signals a deepening crisis within the state's legislature.
Reasons Behind the Mass Defection
The lawmakers presented a litany of grievances that forced their exit from the PDP. They accused the state legislature of alleged disregard and disrespect for the nation's constitution. According to them, the legislative arm has compromised its independence, operating merely as an extension of the Governor's office and acting as a rubber stamp for Governor Dauda Lawal.
The defectors, who claim to have been illegally suspended for about two years, stated that this suspension silenced their constituents. Consequently, they had formed a parallel assembly. They argued that the governor-aligned faction has been making decisions and passing laws without forming the legally required quorum, rendering such laws null and void.
The Defectors and Their Allegations
The six lawmakers who crossed the aisle are prominent figures. They include the factional Speaker, Hon. Bashar Aliyu Gummi (Gummi 1), Hon. Nasiru Maru (Maru North), and Bashir Masama (Bukkuyum North). The others are Hon. Bashir Bello (Bungudu West), Hon. Amiru Keta (Tsafe West), and Hon. Mukhtar Kaura (Kaura Namoda North).
They submitted their separate defection letters to the factional Speaker, Hon. Bashar Gummi. In their criticism, they also pointed to Governor Dauda Lawal's nonchalance towards the pressing issue of insecurity in Zamfara. They alleged the Governor is more preoccupied with a political fight against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, to perpetuate his power beyond 2027.
A New Political Era and Call for Intervention
Upon receiving the letters, the factional Speaker, Bashar Gummi, congratulated the group for joining the "Progressives." He described the move as a bold and wise decision that would promote political stability. He notably stated that this defection "marks a new political era in Zamfara where members of the ruling party defect to the opposition," a reversal of the common trend.
The defectors declared the PDP in Zamfara as dead, blaming its current leadership for straying from the party's founding principles and being engulfed in a protracted internal crisis. They invoked their fundamental right under Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to justify their defection.
Finally, they called on the National Assembly to investigate the situation in the Zamfara State House of Assembly. They urged the federal legislature to take steps to ensure order and the rule of law are fully restored in the state's lawmaking body.
