Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, says he remains a committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has no plan of leaving for any other political party, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the African Democratic Party (ADC).
Governor Lawal cleared the air during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he addressed claims circulating about his alleged defection. He noted that the reports suggesting his exit from the PDP were untrue and should be disregarded.
“First of all, I’m glad that you said a rumour that APC, ADC and whatever political parties are calling on me to join their party,” Governor Lawal said. “And I made it clear that I am a PDP card-carrying member and I am still in PDP, I have no intention of going anywhere.”
He added, “So, what you heard is a rumour but I am still in PDP and have no intention of going anywhere for now.”
Governor Lawal also dismissed claims that he was under pressure to join the ruling APC as a way to protect his political career or shield himself from rival forces. According to him, such fears are baseless because he already overcame similar opposition during the last election in 2023.
“All the forces that were against me in 2023 are still around, but I defeated them back then and I will defeat them again in 2027,” he said confidently.
He specifically named former governors Sani Yerima and Bello Matawalle as part of the opposition he is ready to face again in the next election cycle.
Although he admitted that the PDP is currently experiencing internal challenges, Lawal said that the leadership of the party is working towards resolving them. He noted that the problems would soon be sorted out with time.
Speaking about his relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lawal described it as cordial despite their party differences. However, he remained noncommittal when asked if he would support Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
“Let’s see how events will unfold, there is still time to 2027, we still have two years down the line. So, I don’t think politics should be the main issue right now, I think we should focus on governance,” he said.
