…Ex-DSS chief joins governorship race as Masari ally’s exit deepens 2027 intrigue
The political landscape of Katsina State appears to be entering a decisive phase as cracks widen within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensifies its push ahead of the 2027 general election.
At the centre of this unfolding realignment is the formal declaration of governorship ambition by a chieftain of the ADC, Lawal Daura, a former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), who has now openly pitched his tent with the opposition party.
Daura made his intention known during a youth sensitisation and mobilisation enlightenment programme held in Katsina metropolis, where party members, supporters and youth groups converged to assess the state’s political direction.
“The time has come for me to openly declare the political platform on which I will pursue my governorship ambition,” Daura said, assuring supporters that his decision was driven by a desire to offer purposeful leadership and restore confidence in governance.
Calling for internal cohesion, the former intelligence chief urged party loyalists to remain united, disciplined and respectful to one another and to party leadership.
“With unity, discipline and commitment, ADC will continue to grow stronger and reclaim its greatness in Katsina State,” he added.
The declaration was reinforced by strong criticism of the APC-led government from other party leaders, notably the former Secretary to Katsina State Government, (SSG) Mustapha Inuwa, who accused the ruling party of policies that have weakened the economic base of rural farmers.
According to Inuwa, the high cost of agricultural inputs, coupled with policies encouraging food importation, has eroded farmers’ purchasing power. “today, five tiyas of maize can only buy one bottle of palm oil,” he lamented. “A farmer must sell about 50 bags of maize to raise one million naira. This shows how badly the system has failed those who feed the nation.”
He charged ADC members to shun fear, greed and internal division, stressing that unity was essential if the party was to present itself as a credible alternative at both state and national levels.
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Waves of defections
Perhaps, more telling than rhetoric were claims of growing defections into the ADC.
Inuwa disclosed that no fewer than 71 members had recently defected from the APC to the ADC, while the entire structure of the Labour Party in the area was reportedly in the process of joining the party. If these movements are sustained, analysts say they could significantly alter the political arithmetic of Katsina State, a state long considered a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) having produced the late President
Muhammadu Buhari who was also among the founding fathers of the APC.
These developments come on the heels of the widely reported defection of Al-Mustapha Abdu (Wada) Saulawa, former director-general, Protocol, to Aminu Bello Masari, former governor of Katsina State and card carrying member of APC whose exit from the ruling party sent shockwaves across the state’s political establishment.
Wada’s defection, described by insiders as a major blow to the APC’s structure in Katsina, has emboldened opposition forces and intensified speculation about the ruling party’s chances in 2027. His stature as a former governor’s aide lends weight to arguments that the APC may no longer enjoy the cohesion it once did in the state.
2027: Can APC hold Katsina?
With figures like Daura stepping forward under the ADC banner, and heavyweights like Wada exiting the APC, the once-solid political ground beneath the ruling party appears increasingly shaky.
While the APC still controls the machinery of government in Katsina and retains a significant grassroots presence, the convergence of economic discontent, elite defections and rising opposition mobilisation suggests that the 2027 governorship contest may be the most competitive the state has witnessed in years.
As ADC leaders called for sustained grassroots engagement, particularly among the youth, the message from Katsina’s evolving political scene is clear, the battle lines are being re-drawn.
Whether the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can weather the storm or whether Katsina is on the brink of a historic political shift will depend on how both sides manage unity, credibility and the growing demand for change in the months ahead before the 2027 polls.
