Kabiru Gaya, a former governor of Kano State during the aborted Third Republic, has left the All Progressives Congress, APC, to join the African Democratic Congress, ADC. His resignation from the APC was formalised in a letter dated April 5, addressed to the party's Ward Chairman in Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State. Gaya, who served briefly as governor in 1993 before the military annulled the democratic process, confirmed his defection to the ADC, marking a shift in his decades-long political alignment. The letter cited unspecified reasons for his departure from the APC, without elaborating on the immediate triggers. Gaya's political career has spanned multiple parties, reflecting the fluid nature of party affiliations in Nigerian politics. His move to the ADC, a smaller party with limited national presence, signals a recalibration of his political strategy ahead of future elections. The ADC has not issued a formal statement confirming his membership as of press time.
Kabiru Gaya's switch from the APC to the ADC is less about ideology and more about political survival in a landscape where relevance often trumps loyalty. At 78, Gaya is not building a national legacy but securing a foothold in Kano's evolving power structure, where old guard figures are increasingly sidelined by younger, more media-savvy politicians. His move to a minor party like the ADC suggests he no longer sees a path within the APC's current hierarchy, especially under the influence of Governor Abba Yusuf's administration.
Kano's political terrain has grown more fragmented since the 2023 elections, with the APC losing ground to the NNPP. Gaya's defection reflects the quiet erosion of the APC's dominance in the north, as disaffected leaders seek alternative platforms. The ADC, though marginal, offers space for autonomy — something the APC no longer provides to veteran politicians without strong grassroots machinery.
For Kano residents, especially in Gaya's namesake LGA, this means another shift in patronage dynamics. Traditional leaders who rely on political connections for access to projects and appointments must now recalibrate. Ordinary voters, however, are unlikely to see tangible changes in service delivery or governance.
This is part of a broader trend: seasoned politicians abandoning major parties for smaller ones when excluded from power circles. It underscores the personalisation of Nigerian politics, where parties are vehicles for individual ambition rather than policy platforms.
