The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on lawmakers from the House of Representatives and the Kaduna State House of Assembly who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to step down from their positions.
The lawmakers, mostly from Southern Kaduna, were among 50 people who switched allegiance to the ruling party on Saturday. The group of defectors also included former Kaduna State governor Ramalan Yero and former senator Danjuma La’ah. They were officially welcomed into the APC by Governor Uba Sani during a stakeholder meeting at Murtala Square, Kaduna.
Reacting to the mass defection, the PDP in Kaduna State strongly criticized the move, calling it a betrayal of public trust. The party’s publicity secretary, Maria Dogo, released a statement on Sunday, describing the development as unacceptable.
“While we acknowledge every Nigerian’s constitutional right to freedom of association, we view these defections, especially by serving lawmakers, as a brazen betrayal of the people’s mandate,” Dogo stated.
She insisted that the PDP would take legal steps to reclaim the seats of the defecting lawmakers.
Citing the Nigerian Constitution, the PDP argued that legislators who switch parties without a division in their former party must vacate their positions.
“According to Sections 68(1)(g) and 109 of the Constitution, serving legislators who defect to another party must vacate their seats,” Dogo explained.
The PDP called on the Speakers of both the House of Representatives and the Kaduna State House of Assembly to take action.
“We urge the Speakers to declare the seats of these defectors vacant and notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct bye-elections,” she added.
The party dismissed the defections as insignificant, insisting that it remains the most popular political force in Kaduna State.
“Our party’s popularity was evident in the last local government elections, where the people stood by us and rejected the APC’s attempts to impose its candidates,” Dogo claimed.
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She alleged that some defectors had long been working against the PDP, having lost out in the party’s internal zoning arrangements or primaries in 2022.
“These defectors are spent forces or overambitious politicians who failed to secure PDP tickets and now seek automatic APC tickets in 2026, knowing that the APC does not hold primaries,” she said.
The PDP also criticized Governor Uba Sani for celebrating the defections instead of focusing on governance.
“We challenge the governor to reshuffle his lopsided and ineffective cabinet and appoint these defectors to strategic positions if he truly believes they have value to offer,” the party stated.
Dogo further accused the Kaduna State government of misusing public funds.
“We advise the governor to stop wasting taxpayers’ money on elaborate receptions for defectors and instead focus on delivering the dividends of democracy, which have eluded the citizens since the inception of this administration,” she said.
The party assured the people of Kaduna State that the APC’s recent gains would not affect PDP’s plans for the next general elections.
“The truth is, our people are yearning for a return to the PDP years when the economy thrived and citizens could afford their basic needs,” Dogo said.
“No amount of defections can save the APC-led government from its imminent exit in 2027.”
She reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to democracy under the leadership of state chairman Edward Masha, saying the party would continue to fight for the people’s rights and ensure their voices are heard.