The governor of Zamfara state, Dauda Lawal has said that the Court of Appeal ruling on the convention of the Peoples Democratic Party ultimately led to his decision to leave the party and join the All Progressives Congress.
Background
On Monday, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria upheld the judgment of a Federal High Court that restrained the PDP from holding its national convention conducted on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.
In its decision, a three-member panel of the court dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to hear the case.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the PDP breached constitutional provisions guiding the conduct of party conventions.
Onyemenam agreed that no valid notice of the convention had been served on the Independent National Electoral Commission as required by law.
However, a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki rejected the ruling and instructed its lawyers to challenge the judgment at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Shortly after the verdict, Lawal and his deputy, Mani Mummuni, defected from the PDP to the APC.
‘Out-of-court settlements proved difficult’
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the governor cited the ongoing legal disputes and internal crisis within the PDP as key factors behind his defection.
He said the appellate court ruling marked the end of his long association with the party after repeated attempts to broker peace and reach out-of-court settlements failed.
“Joining the All Progressives Congress was a decision made by stakeholders in Zamfara state amid the ongoing legal challenges faced by the Peoples Democratic Party,” the statement read.
“Governor Dauda Lawal has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party. He worked diligently to facilitate reconciliation among the party’s factions to ensure unity and enable it to field candidates for upcoming elections.
“Efforts to achieve peace, reconciliation, and out-of-court settlements have proven difficult, leading to a series of legal battles that may have future implications, particularly for leaders contesting elections in 2027.”
Idris added that Lawal had effectively become “the last man standing in the PDP”.
“He was the only governor seeking a second term who chose to stay, hoping that party leaders would demonstrate decorum and take appropriate action,” he said.
According to the statement, during a series of meetings held over several weeks, Lawal informed stakeholders that he acknowledged their request for him to join the APC but would make a final decision after the appeal court ruling.
“The appellate judgment ended Governor Dauda Lawal’s stay in the Peoples Democratic Party, as he prioritised the interests of Zamfara state,” the statement added.
“He joined the All Progressives Congress to sustain the Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild mission.”