Ex-Katsina Governor’s Aide Dumps APC.

Almustapha Saulawa, former Chief of Staff to ex-Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari, has defected from the All Progressives Congress to the African Democratic Congress, stating that his decision was guided by principle and a determination to “rescue” Katsina State.

Saulawa announced his defection on Tuesday at the ADC Secretariat in Katsina, where he formally registered as a member of the party alongside a large number of supporters, most of whom were youths.

He explained that appearing at the party secretariat was necessary to validate his political activities going forward.

“I’m here to declare myself as a tentative member of ADC, as it is enshrined in the law that I cannot act until I belong. That is why I’m here to become a member of ADC today together with my supporters, which of course are the teeming youth of Katsina,” he said.

A founding member of the APC in Katsina State, Saulawa said he reached a breaking point after years of loyalty to the ruling party. He also claimed that the ADC has emerged as a serious threat to the APC’s dominance.

According to him, only two categories of people now remain in the APC.

“I was part and parcel of the ruling APC, who worked tirelessly from scratch, but today I decided to join ADC. I was tired of being a sycophant to my former party.

“I’m sure ADC will win come 2027, and APC knows that ADC will win, having seen what people, especially the youth, belong to. They know they are not going anywhere come 2027.

“APC has only two people left in the party as we speak, those intimidated by empty threats, and those in government who are afraid of losing their daily stipends or being denied contracts if they leave for another party, especially the ADC,” Saulawa stated.

On whether he plans to contest for elective office in 2027, Saulawa said he has not yet made that decision, noting that his immediate priority is strengthening the party.

“I’m yet to decide if I will contest come 2027, but my main aim of joining was to establish the party and champion the way forward to rescue Katsina State,” he said.

Speaking on his relationship with the current governor, Dikko Umar Radda, Saulawa described his defection as a personal decision that would not affect their ties.

“Politics is a personal thing. Despite my relationship with the present Governor Dikko Umar Radda, it will not affect anything because it is my personal thing,” he noted.

Reflecting on his political journey, Saulawa highlighted his role in building the APC at both state and federal levels, which he said eventually led to his appointment as Chief of Staff under Masari.

“As I said, I was part of those who built APC to what it is today, both from the state and at the federal level, which is why I was able to serve at various levels of government to the last position I held as Chief of Staff to former Governor Aminu Bello Masari. I decided I’m no longer going with them,” he said.

Saulawa’s defection is widely viewed as more than a personal political move. His entry into the ADC adds to a growing list of prominent figures in Katsina who have left the APC, including former Secretary to the State Government Mustapha Inuwa, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, and Senator Baban Kaita, signalling the rise of a coalition that could challenge the APC’s long-standing grip on the state.