Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The announcement was made on Monday by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mani Malam Mummuni, who said the decision was taken by the state leadership.

Speaking in a video that has since gone viral, Mummuni stated that he was announcing the defection on behalf of Governor Lawal, confirming that the Zamfara State leadership had formally aligned with the APC.

The development follows increasing pressure from political groups and influential figures in the state who had urged the governor to join the ruling party at the federal level.

According to the groups, aligning with the APC could strengthen cooperation with the federal government and improve access to resources needed to address the state’s security and development challenges.

Zamfara has faced persistent security issues for years, including banditry, kidnapping and rural violence, which have placed significant strain on the state’s finances and security infrastructure.

Some stakeholders believe that political alignment with the party controlling the federal government could enhance collaboration in tackling these challenges.

In recent weeks, several political actors in the state, including lawmakers and party leaders, have also defected from the PDP to the APC, intensifying calls for the governor to make a similar move.

With the defection of the Zamfara State government, the APC has further expanded its control at the subnational level, now governing more than 30 of Nigeria’s 36 states as political alignments continue ahead of the 2027 general elections.