KEY POINTS
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Three senators from Kebbi State have defected from the PDP to the APC after a meeting with President Tinubu at Aso Rock.
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Their move follows a broader wave of defections, including six House members from Delta State, all citing unresolved PDP internal crises.
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Analysts warn the PDP risks losing national relevance if it fails to resolve its leadership challenges and party disunity.
In a major political shake-up, three senators from Kebbi State have officially left the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), deepening the cracks within Nigeria’s main opposition party.
According to SaharaReporters, the senators—Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South)—announced their defection shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Friday.
Also present at the meeting were Kebbi State Governor Dr. Nasir Idris, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Atiku Bagudu.
Their defection, facilitated by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, marks a strategic political gain for the ruling party as it consolidates its grip on the North West geopolitical zone.
“The meeting with the President was cordial and forward-looking,” said a source close to one of the defecting senators. “There is a clear vision for Kebbi under the APC, and we believe our alignment will help us better serve our constituents.”
PDP faces continued exodus over internal disputes
The PDP has been hit with a string of high-profile defections in recent weeks, with the most notable being the defection of all six PDP House of Representatives members from Delta State to the APC. Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, announced the switch during a plenary session, reading formal letters of resignation from each of the lawmakers.
The defectors cited unresolved internal crises, lack of leadership cohesion, and diminished capacity to represent their constituents as reasons for abandoning the PDP.
“This decision has become imperative due to unresolved and deepening issues within the PDP leadership structure,” said Hon. Julius Pondi, one of the Delta defectors. “The party crisis has not only weakened its cohesion but also its ability to represent my constituents effectively.”
Another Delta representative, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, echoed similar sentiments: “The subject matter is an announcement of my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. This is due to the internal issues at the national and South-South regional level.”
Analysts believe the wave of defections could significantly impact the PDP’s prospects in the 2027 general elections. The party, still reeling from its loss in the 2023 presidential election, has struggled to regain national momentum amid leadership disputes, conflicting regional interests, and lackluster opposition strategy.
“What we’re seeing is not just individual ambition, but a systemic failure of party cohesion,” explained political analyst Dr. Hajara Bako. “The PDP must urgently reinvent itself if it intends to remain relevant on the national stage.”
The APC, for its part, has continued to absorb disillusioned politicians from opposition parties, using high-level meetings and regional alliances to boost its ranks. Sources close to the presidency say President Tinubu is personally overseeing efforts to unite influential northern politicians under the APC umbrella ahead of future elections.
With the addition of the three Kebbi senators, APC now tightens its hold on federal legislative influence, allowing it greater leverage in upcoming debates on electoral reforms, budgetary allocations, and constitutional amendments.
For the PDP, the road ahead appears increasingly uncertain, as it confronts not only external competition but internal implosions that could reduce it to a regional political force rather than a national contender.
