Three members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing unresolved internal crises within the PDP.
Their defection, announced during plenary and read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, brings the total number of lawmakers who have changed party affiliation in the 10th National Assembly to 27 since its inauguration on June 13, 2023.
The defectors include Abdullahi Balarabe Dabai (Bakori/Danja Federal Constituency), Aliyu Illiyasu (Safana/Batsari), and Salisu Yusuf Majigiri (Mashi/Dutsi).
In his letter, Majigiri described the PDP’s internal wranglings as a “chronic crisis without cure,” noting that the situation had made it impossible to effectively serve his constituents. He added that the leadership style and inclusive governance of Governor Umar Dikko Radda of Katsina State influenced his decision to join the APC.
Similarly, Illiyasu cited “irreconcilable differences” within the PDP, while Dabai lamented that the party had remained in crisis since 2022, with all efforts at resolution failing.
With this latest move, 24 lawmakers have so far dumped the PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP for the APC. One lawmaker moved from the Labour Party to APGA, while two others crossed from the Labour Party to the PDP.
The defection of the Katsina lawmakers was witnessed by Governor Dikko Radda, former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema, and top APC officials from the state.
