A member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Gwale Constituency, Hon. Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mai Rigar Fata, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Mai Rigar Fata, who represents Gwale Local Government Area, the home constituency of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, was formally received into the NDC on Thursday by former Kano State Governor and party leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, at his Maitama residence in Abuja.
The defection marks a fresh political development in Kano State, coming amid growing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Welcoming the defectors, Kwankwaso described their decision to join the NDC as a significant boost to the party’s grassroots structure and political strength in Kano.
The former governor, who remains one of the most influential political figures in the state, expressed confidence that the new members would contribute to the party’s expansion and consolidation.
Mai Rigar Fata was first elected into the Kano State House of Assembly in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, widely associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement led by Kwankwaso.
However, he later defected alongside Governor Yusuf to the APC.
Defection Follows Ticket Setback
PrimeTimes Nigeria understands that the lawmaker’s latest move follows his inability to secure the APC ticket to seek re-election to the Assembly.
His return to the political camp led by Kwankwaso is expected to further reshape the political dynamics in Gwale, one of the key local government areas in Kano State.
Others who joined the NDC alongside him include Hon. Kabiru Sani Auwal Obi, a former Vice Chairman of Gwale Local Government Area, and Malam Mahadi Isa Umar.
The development came barely hours after a Federal High Court ruling that struck down aspects of the electoral guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, a judgement many political stakeholders believe could ease restrictions on politicians seeking alternative platforms.
Reacting to the ruling, the spokesman for the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, had predicted a wave of defections from the APC.
“We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC. Now that the court has ruled against it, we are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” Abdullahi had said.