• More blows as three Kaduna Reps defect to APC
• National chairman, legal adviser disagree in open court
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its 103 National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled to hold today indefinitely. In a development that further tilts Kaduna State’s political balance in favour of the ruling party, three members of the House of Representatives from the state have dumped PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP crisis took a new dimension at the Federal High Court in Abuja where the National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, disagreed in open court.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Olugunagba, the party said the postponement was necessitated by “recent developments in the party”.
The statement did not elaborate on the developments within the party that led to the postponement. It reads: “Distinguished members of the NEC may recall that the 103rd NEC meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
“However, in view of recent developments in the Party, the National Working Committee (NWC) in exercise of its powers pursuant to Section 29 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) has at its emergency meeting on Monday, October 13, 2025 approved the postponement of the 103rd NEC meeting to a new date that will be communicated to members in due course.
All NEC members should please note the postponement and be guided accordingly.”The defectors are Hussaini Ahmed (Kaduna South Federal Constituency), Aliyu Abdullahi (Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituency) and Sadiq Abdullahi (Sabon Gari Federal Constituency).
Their defection was formally announced yesterday during plenary after Speaker Abbas Tajudeen read their letters on the floor of the House. The move followed the appearance of Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who was specially recognised by the lawmakers to witness the session and welcome the new APC members.
Their exit, long anticipated amid deepening cracks within the state’s PDP, is seen as a major boost for the APC’s dominance in Kaduna politics. Ahmed described his decision as the outcome of wide consultations with his supporters, noting that the move would help attract more development to his constituency.
Aliyu Abdullahi and Sadiq Abdullahi’s defection is viewed as part of a broader political realignment aimed at strengthening their positions ahead of the next election cycle.
Governor Sani, who witnessed the announcement, was seen exchanging warm pleasantries with the lawmakers after the plenary, in what many described as a symbolic moment for the APC in Kaduna.
AT the hearing of the suit seeking to stop the planned national convention of the party instituted by three aggrieved members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for minutes over who has the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party.
While Damagum, in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche (SAN) to represent the party in the legal action, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), insisted that he was the only authority that could appoint legal representation for PDP.
When the matter was called before Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu (SAN) announced appearance for the three plaintiffs, namely, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah George (PDP Secretary, South-South).
Trouble started when Uche, with five other SANs, announced appearance for the PDP, which was immediately countered by Ajibade, who also announced appearance for the same party.
In the drama that ensued, Uche informed Justice Omotosho that he had a letter from PDP National Chairman appointing him to represent the party in the suit, but Ajibade replied that he was the sole authority vested with power by the party’s constitution to appoint legal representation for the party and cited some judgments to that effect.
Apparently taken aback by the development, Justice Omotosho adjourned the hearing of the matter for 10 minutes to allow the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to leave the court to attend to their affairs.
In the end, the two parties reported that they were unable to reconcile, prompting Uche to seek a brief adjournment to enable the National Chairman and the National Legal Adviser to explore ways to reconcile their differences.Justice Omotosho subsequently fixed Thursday, October 16, for the hearing of the matter.
