The Zamfara APC Supporters (ZAS) group has issued a stern warning to the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, urging him to reject any potential defection attempt by Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, the group alleged that Governor Lawal, who was elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in 2023, is plotting to join the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections as a strategy to evade corruption investigations.
Comrade Muttaka Ibrahim Ruwan Bore, who leads the ZAS group, claimed the governor is seeking a "soft landing" by attempting to align with the ruling party due to fears of prosecution over alleged connections with former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke and ex-Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele.
"Dauda always boasts that the people voted for him. We are saying he should remain in the Peoples Democratic Party and test his popularity to see if he can secure even 20 percent of the votes. We are not asking him to join us, but it would be better for him to test his popularity come 2027," Bore stated.
The group emphasized that APC members in Zamfara are satisfied with their current leadership structure, highlighting prominent party figures in the state such as former governors Ahmad Sani Yarima, Mamuda Shinkafi, Abdul'aziz Yari, and Bello Matawalle as leaders who have consistently maintained the party's grassroots strength.
"Governor Dauda wants to reap where he did not sow," Bore added. "We, the APC members in Zamfara, are satisfied with our current leaders and do not welcome an additional burden."
The ZAS leader further alleged that the governor's defection bid is a calculated political move designed as a contingency plan in case he loses re-election in 2027. He emphasized the APC's stance against corruption, stating: "Our party is corruption-intolerant. We cannot accept anyone with baggage from past misdeeds."
Governor Dauda Lawal, a former banker who secured the governorship in the 2023 elections under the PDP banner, has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding alleged ties to controversial figures in Nigeria's political landscape.
Despite losing the last governorship election to the PDP, the APC remains a significant political force in Zamfara State, largely due to the continued influence of its past governors and strong party structure.
As political realignments begin ahead of the 2027 elections, the ZAS group has called on APC members to remain vigilant, with Bore concluding: "We will continue our advocacy and ensure that our party remains a home of integrity."
