A former aide to ex-Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Almustapha Saulawa, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the opposition African Democratic Congress, saying his decision was driven by principle and a desire to “rescue” Katsina State.
Naijaonpoint reports that Saulawa announced his defection on Tuesday at the ADC secretariat in Katsina, where he formally registered as a party member alongside a large number of supporters, many of them youths.
Explaining why he personally appeared at the party office, Saulawa said his physical presence was required to legitimise his political activities within the ADC.
“I’m here to declare myself as a tentative member of ADC, as it is enshrined in the law that I cannot act until I belong. That is why I’m here to become a member of ADC today together with my supporters, which of course are the teeming youth of Katsina,” he said.
A founding member of the APC in Katsina, Saulawa said he reached a breaking point after years of loyalty to the ruling party, insisting that the ADC has emerged as a serious threat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I was part and parcel of the ruling APC and worked tirelessly from the scratch, but today I decided to join ADC. I was tired of being a sycophant to my former party,” he said.
Projecting confidence, he added, “I’m sure ADC will win come 2027, and APC knows that ADC will win, having seen the calibre of people, especially the youth, who are joining. They know they are not going anywhere come 2027.”
He further alleged that the APC has been reduced to two categories of members.
“The APC has only two types of people left in the party as we speak: those intimidated by empty threats, and those in government who are afraid of losing their daily stipends or being denied contracts if they leave for another party, especially the ADC,” Saulawa stated.
On whether he would seek elective office in 2027, the former Chief of Staff said he was yet to make up his mind, stressing that his immediate focus is on building the ADC in the state.
“I’m yet to decide if I will contest come 2027, but my main aim of joining is to establish the party and champion the way forward to rescue Katsina State,” he said.
Addressing concerns about his ties with the incumbent governor, Dikko Radda, Saulawa said his defection was a personal political choice.
“Politics is a personal thing. Despite my relationship with the present Governor Dikko Radda, it will not affect anything because it is my personal decision,” he noted.
Reflecting on his political journey, Saulawa said his years of service to the APC at both state and federal levels culminated in his appointment as Chief of Staff under Masari.
“As I said earlier, I was among those who built the APC to what it is today, both at the state and federal levels. That is why I was able to serve at various levels of government, culminating in my appointment as Chief of Staff to former Governor Aminu Bello Masari. I have now decided to move on,” he said.
His switch to the ADC adds to a growing list of prominent defectors in Katsina, including former Secretary to the State Government Mustapha Inuwa, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri and Senator Baban Kaita, signalling an emerging coalition that could challenge the APC’s long-standing dominance in the state.