The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State has suffered a significant political setback as three prominent lawmakers, known as key powerbrokers within the party, officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors—Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South)—announced their move after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. They were accompanied by APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu.
This development follows Governor Idris’ hint during last week’s stakeholders’ meeting in Birnin Kebbi that the senators were on the verge of joining the APC. Many of their supporters had already defected during the governor’s local government tour last year, leaving the senators’ official positions uncertain until now.
The timing of the defection is critical for the PDP as it prepares for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on May 27, 2025. The move is a major boost for the APC’s political influence in Kebbi State and at the national level, particularly with the 2027 general elections on the horizon.
The defection has further destabilized the PDP in Kebbi, with the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Sani Dododo, accusing the senators of misleading party loyalists and strategically delaying their departure to inflict maximum damage.
In response to the growing crisis, the PDP Governors’ Forum has scheduled an extraordinary meeting to address pressing issues, including consensus-building ahead of the party’s national convention and the zoning of key positions.
Amid the political shifts, speculation surrounds the future role of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, who has distanced himself from the APC. His absence from APC events has sparked rumors of his potential emergence as a leading opposition figure in the state, although he has not declared allegiance to any other party.