Speculation has intensified over the political future of Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, amid reports that he may be considering a move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
APC leaders in Abuja have reportedly been making efforts to woo the governor to join the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the speculation, APC leaders allegedly offered Governor Lawal an automatic governorship ticket for the 2027 election if he defects to the party.
It was also suggested that under the proposed arrangement, the governor could take 40 per cent of elective and political appointments in the state, while the remaining 60 per cent would be shared among APC stakeholders.
He is reportedly expected to officially join the APC immediately after the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
A source within the APC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the alleged negotiations.
“Governor Lawal has accepted the offer to leave PDP and join our party, the APC,” the source said.
The source, however, added that some APC members were not enthusiastic about the potential defection.
“Although most of us are not celebrating this defection because we will lose a lot of positions, there is nothing we can do about it, as was planned at the top.
“I am quite sure that our party will reclaim Zamfara State in 2027 with or without Governor Lawal. As such, there is nothing to celebrate because of his defection,” the source said.
The reported move comes amid an ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP following the controversial November 2025 national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The convention produced Tanimu Turaki as the party’s national chairman, a development backed by several PDP governors but opposed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
However, a high court sitting in Ibadan later declared the convention illegal, null and void, prompting the PDP to approach the Appeal Court for a final ruling.
Addressing PDP stakeholders at the Government House Gusau, Governor Lawal said the outcome of the Appeal Court judgment would determine his political future.
According to him, the decision on whether he remains in the PDP would depend on the court’s verdict on the legality of Turaki’s leadership and the Ibadan convention.
The spokesperson of the Zamfara PDP, Haliru Andi, also confirmed that the governor’s future in the party is tied to the resolution of the ongoing legal battle.
“As long as the PDP remains the legitimate political party in Nigeria, Governor Lawal will remain in the party,” Andi told The PUNCH.
“We are only waiting for the Appeal Court’s verdict, which will determine the legality or otherwise of Turaki’s leadership and the Ibadan convention.”
He added that stakeholders and supporters of the PDP in Zamfara are not considering joining another party, unless the internal crisis within the party remains unresolved.
