In what political analysts have described as a major blow to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the entire structure of the party in Yobe State has collapsed, following the mass defection of the party's state, local government, and ward-level leadership to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The defection, which took place over the weekend, saw the Yobe State PDP Chairman, his executive council, all 17 local government chairmen and their excos, and ward chairmen across the state officially dump the PDP in favour of ADC. The political shift was sealed during a widely attended rally in Damaturu, the state capital, where hundreds of grassroots members also announced their switch.
The defectors, led by former PDP State Chairman Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru, cited frustration with the PDP national leadership, accusing them of alienating Northern stakeholders and operating a party system riddled with internal impunity and selective justice.
“We have endured marginalization and disregard for too long. It is clear that the PDP has no future for Northern Nigeria, and especially for Yobe State. This decision is long overdue,” Nguru stated at the rally.
This mass exodus has effectively left Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, the PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) and a native of Yobe, as the lone senior PDP figure from the state still affiliated with the party. Despite his high-ranking position, Damagum was conspicuously absent from the rally and has made no official comment regarding the loss of the party’s entire state structure.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), which welcomed the defectors with open arms, described the development as a sign of growing confidence in its ideology and national agenda. ADC leaders present at the event promised inclusion, accountability, and a platform for Northern leaders to thrive.
This political earthquake in Yobe may have broader implications for the 2027 general elections, as ADC positions itself as a viable alternative to both the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North-East region.
As of press time, there has been no official statement from the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) regarding the Yobe defection. However, political insiders suggest that the party is in crisis mode, scrambling to contain similar rumblings in other Northern states.
The defection underscores growing internal discontent within the PDP and may mark the beginning of a larger political realignment ahead of 2027.