Gov Lawal shuts down defection rumours, reaffirms PDP loyalty

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has put to rest circulating rumours suggesting he intends to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for another political platform such as the All Progressives Congress (APC) or African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Governor Lawal described the speculations as baseless and confirmed that he remains loyal to the PDP.

READ ALSO: Zamfara Gov, Lawal reacts to report of dumping PDP for APC

“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,” Lawal stated.

“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 also dismissed claims that he was considering aligning with the APC to shield himself from political opposition within the state, describing those suggestions as groundless.

“All the forces in the opposition were there in 2023, and I defeated them. So why should I be scared of them now?”

Governor Lawal took direct aim at political adversaries, including former governors Sani Yerima and Bello Matawalle, expressing confidence in his ability to defeat them again come 2027.

While acknowledging that the PDP is going through some internal disputes, he maintained that the party is actively working through its challenges.

“The PDP has an internal crisis, no doubt, but we are working on resolving that already. It is just a matter of time before the dust settles.”

He also touched on his current relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing it as friendly despite their party differences.

“I have a very good relationship with the president, but we belong to different parties.”

When asked whether he could potentially back President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, Governor Lawal chose not to commit, stating: “Let’s see how events will unfold. There is still time to 2027 — we 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.”