By Mahmoud
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State has been hit by fresh internal turmoil following the resignation of two prominent politicians who contested the party’s 2026 governorship primary.
Former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, and a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura, announced their departures from the ADC separately on Sunday.
While Inuwa returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside thousands of his supporters, Daura joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Both men had contested the ADC governorship ticket but lost to Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita and subsequently challenged the process that produced him as the party’s candidate.
Inuwa, a veteran politician in Katsina State, announced his return to the APC after months of disagreement with the leadership of the ADC over the governorship primary.
He said the decision followed consultations with his political associates and was taken to advance the interests of his supporters.
Inuwa previously served as Commissioner for Education between 2003 and 2006 before becoming Secretary to the State Government during the administration of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He later returned to the position under former Governor Aminu Bello Masari and served between 2015 and 2022.
In 2022, he resigned as SSG to contest the APC governorship primary, where he polled 442 votes but lost to the incumbent governor, Dikko Umar Radda, who secured 506 votes.
Following disagreements arising from the primary, Inuwa defected to the Peoples Democratic Party in October 2022 with his supporters.
He subsequently became a major figure in the PDP and served as Director-General of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation in Katsina State during the 2023 general elections.
ADC Primary Sparks Fresh Dispute
By 2025, Inuwa had joined opposition politicians rallying around the ADC and built a political structure within the party ahead of the next electoral cycle.
He again sought the governorship ticket in 2026 but rejected the primary that produced Kaita as the party’s standard-bearer.
His return to the APC on Sunday ended months of speculation over his next political move.
The defection, accompanied by a large number of supporters, is expected to strengthen the APC’s political structure in Katsina ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Daura also announced his resignation from the ADC on Sunday and declared for the Allied Peoples Movement in Daura Local Government Area.
The former DSS Director-General had similarly challenged the outcome of the ADC governorship primary after losing the ticket to Kaita.
He had called for what he described as a more transparent and democratic candidate-selection process during the internal dispute that followed the exercise.
His resignation ended weeks of uncertainty surrounding his political future.
Party sources said Daura could emerge as the running mate to Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, who is reportedly being positioned as the APM presidential candidate.
‘I Entered Politics Because Of Nigerians’
Speaking at an event in Katsina, Daura said his previous silence during the ADC crisis was deliberate and part of his preparation for a new political direction.
He asked his supporters to remain patient, promising further developments on his new platform.
He said, “As I always say, I have ventured into politics because of my people, the Nigerians.
“I am in politics because I want Nigeria to be back on its feet and, by God’s grace, we will attain victory with the support of the Katsina people and the whole of Nigeria.”
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