A Senior Legislative Aide to Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, Rijo Shekari, has left the All Progressives Congress to join the Peoples Democratic Party. He announced his defection on Tuesday at the PDP's Kaduna South Senatorial District expanded caucus meeting in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, where he was formally received by party leaders. Shekari stated the decision followed extensive consultations with his supporters and political associates. He cited a need to align with a party that reflects his political ideals and supports the independence and dignity of the Southern Kaduna people.
Shekari declared his intention to contest the Zango/Jaba Federal Constituency seat under the PDP, pending the outcome of party primaries. He acknowledged his time in the APC with gratitude but said prevailing political realities necessitated his exit. PDP leaders in the district welcomed his move, calling it a boost for the party. One leader noted that Shekari's experience in governance and legislative processes would strengthen grassroots mobilisation. The party affirmed it would fully integrate him into its structure and expressed confidence that his entry would energise its base ahead of the primaries.
Rijo Shekari's defection from the APC to the PDP is less about party loyalty and more about recalibrating political survival in a volatile region. As a senior aide to the Deputy Senate President, his move signals quiet fractures within APC's southern Kaduna network, especially ahead of competitive primaries. That he cited the dignity of the Southern Kaduna people as a core reason suggests ethnic and regional identity continue to shape political realignments more than national party ideology.
Southern Kaduna's political terrain has long been defined by marginalisation claims and internal party disaffection. Shekari's pivot to the PDP, a party with historical strength in the area, leverages existing voter sentiment. His stated aim to contest the Zango/Jaba seat under PDP reinforces the pattern of politicians aligning with platforms perceived as electorally viable rather than ideologically consistent. The PDP's warm reception of him reflects a broader strategy to consolidate regional figures ahead of tight electoral contests.
Ordinary voters in Zango/Jaba now face a familiar calculus: a politician switching parties with the promise of better representation. If Shekari wins the primary, constituents will judge him not by his defection but by his ability to deliver legislative results. His shift offers short-term momentum to the PDP but does little to shift the deeper issue of party instability in the region.
This mirrors a national trend where party affiliations are increasingly transactional, shaped by access and opportunity rather than policy or principle.
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