Matawalle Welcomes Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal to APC

Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, has welcomed the defection of Dauda Lawal, Governor of Zamfara State, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Lawal announced his decision to leave the PDP following the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which affirmed a Federal High Court judgment restraining the party from conducting its national convention held in November 2025 in Ibadan.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the governor said the lingering legal disputes and internal crisis within the PDP made it difficult to remain in the party. He added that joining the APC was a collective decision by political stakeholders in Zamfara to sustain the state’s rescue and rebuild mission.

Reacting to the development, Matawalle described the defection as a historic moment and welcomed Lawal into what he called a “progressive family,” urging party members to unite for the development and security of the state.

He said politics should not be treated as war, but as a means of building bridges, adding that he would support Lawal in achieving a safer and more prosperous Zamfara State.

Matawalle also called on APC members in the state to remain united ahead of the 2027 elections.