APC defections raise fresh anxiety in Katsina ahead of 2027 polls

Cracks within the ruling All Progressives Congress in Katsina State appear to be widening as complaints over alleged imposition, consensus arrangements, and defections continue to unsettle party loyalists ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

What initially began as murmurs among aggrieved aspirants has now snowballed into open expressions of dissatisfaction by some top party figures, raising fears that the internal disagreements could weaken the party’s traditional dominance in the state.

The latest concern came from Abubakar Yahaya Kusada, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Kankia/Kusada/Ingawa in Katsina State, who openly lamented the growing wave of defections and warned that the APC risks losing political ground if urgent steps are not taken to reconcile aggrieved members.

 “While there are discussions among many party members, however, the controversy is no longer about individual ambitions but about the perceived fairness of the process.”

Kusada’s reaction followed reports that fellow lawmaker Sani Lawal had allegedly dumped the APC for another political platform yet to be publicly disclosed.

In the message obtained by BusinessDay on Tuesday, Kusada said, “Honourable Sani Lawal, Member Representing Zango/Baure Federal Constituency, has woken me from my sleep with the news of his decamping from our great party, the APC, to a yet-to-be-disclosed political party.

“Hon. Sani is not just my good friend and colleague; he has been more like a blood brother to me since the 9th Assembly. We have shared both political and family matters together over the years. He is a gentle, focused, and dedicated parliamentarian whom our party will greatly miss.

“I wish him the very best in his new political journey.”

He said there was a need for the APC stakeholders at both national and state levels to do something about it.

Kusada himself is believed to be among those affected by the recent political calculations within the party, as he was replaced in a consensus arrangement that produced Mustapha Kanti Bello as the preferred candidate for the constituency.

Mustapha is the son of the late Kanti Bello, a well-respected Katsina State politician and philanthropist who wielded considerable influence during the administration of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as governor of Katsina State.

He warned that defections could affect APC’s chances during the forthcoming elections.

“I think these defections are not quite good for our great party, the APC, as we are approaching the general elections in the coming months.

“Something reasonable has to be done to prevent further defections.

“It’s not only about what happened in my constituency, but the whole process is biased towards favouring some individuals who have a silver spoon in this government.

“The presidency and our great party have to look into how the process was conducted and make corrections where necessary.”

The lawmaker added that “if this goes unchecked, the end result will be disastrous for the party.

“As a party faithful, I’m not seeing the party being able to win easily in the upcoming elections unless all these anomalies are addressed to the satisfaction of the aggrieved persons.”

Although defections are not new in Nigerian politics, observers say the development is particularly significant in Katsina because of the state’s historical importance to the APC. Katsina remains one of the party’s strongest northern strongholds and is the home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ibrahim Attahiru, a political analyst, in an interview with BusinessDay on Tuesday, believed the unfolding discontent reflects deeper frustrations over the party’s internal selection process, especially the adoption of consensus arrangements in some constituencies.

“While there are discussions among many party members, however, the controversy is no longer about individual ambitions but about the perceived fairness of the process.

“It is not only about what happened in my constituency, but the whole process is biased towards favouring some individuals who have a silver spoon in this government,” he alleged.

Speaking on the lawmaker’s remarks, the analyst has further highlighted concerns among party stakeholders that “influential political families and established power blocs may be dominating the APC’s internal structure at the expense of grassroots loyalists.

“I warn that unresolved grievances within ruling parties often create opportunities for opposition parties to make inroads, particularly when dissatisfied aspirants and their supporters decide to defect or work against party interests,” he noted.

The analyst, therefore, says the APC still maintains a formidable structure across Katsina State but cautions that unresolved internal disputes could affect voter mobilisation, weaken party unity, and encourage protest votes during the elections.

“There are also concerns that continued defections by influential politicians may embolden rival political parties seeking to challenge the APC’s dominance in the North-West.

“For now, many party faithful are watching closely to see whether reconciliation efforts will be initiated before the disagreements deepen further,” he concluded.