Zamfara’s PDP gov may decide for APC next week Lawal, PDP leaders await Appeal Court verdict Hoodlums attack Gbolarumi’s Ibadan residence as pro-Wike faction begins congresses The speculated defection of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) could take place as early as next week, The Nation gathered yesterday. Multiple party sources in Abuja, Gusau and Kaduna said the governor and his supporters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are only waiting for the Court of Appeal’s decision on the suits filed by the rival factions seeking control of the PDP. Lawal belongs to the Tanimu Turaki-led faction. Sources said Lawal’s counterparts in Bauchi State (Bala Mohammed) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo State) are also weighing the options available to them on the leadership crisis. Lawal is said to have held meetings with top officials of the APC on his plan. This, it was gathered, was the main reason the APC postponed indefinitely its state, local government and ward congresses in Zamfara. The party, in a March 2, 2026 memo to the Chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC), said the postponement stemmed from “ongoing consultations and the need to conclude certain preparatory and administrative processes to ensue orderly, transparent and credible conduct of the congresses in the state.’ The party said it would communicate a revised schedule of activities for the state to the commission in due course and in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022. If Lawal joins the APC, he will become the 31st governor in the fold of the party. He met with PDP stakeholders in the state penultimate Friday on the way forward, and many of those in attendance favoured a switch to the APC. Within the last one year, the PDP has lost Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Sheriff Obrevwori (Delta), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers) and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) to the APC. Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf joined from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). Another source said Governor Bala Mohammed, who doubles as the chairman of the PDP’s Governors’ Forum, may have gone far already in secret negotiations with the ruling APC. “He may have already outlined what he wants from APC such as a ticket to the Senate, some National Assembly seats for his loyalists and President Tinubu’s help towards convincing APC’s leadership to allow him produce a successor. “But presently, there seems to be very tough opposition to the succession request because everyone knows about the huge corruption matter on ground already,” the source said. On his part, Governor Makinde has consistently dismissed speculations that he is secretly working on switching to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). When contacted, the Publicity Secretary of the Mohammed Abdulrahman-led PDP, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said he was busy with ongoing arrangements for congresses at various levels towards having the PDP National Caretaker Committee’s national convention scheduled for March 28-29 in Abuja. He said he would rather wait till Monday so that he can address the press after the Appeal Court judgment. Hoodlums attack ex-deputy gov’s residence, party members as pro-Wike PDP begins congress in Ibadan There was tension in Bodija area of Ibadan yesterday after hoodlums suspected to be political thugs attacked the Bodija residence of a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarumi, as state, local government and ward congresses of the Mohammed Abdulrahman faction of PDP got underway across the country. Gbolarumi belongs to that faction. Chairman of the faction, Prof. Abdulrahman Akinoso, confirmed the attacks. He said many vehicles were vandalised while about 10 people were injured. He said people were attacked in Ibadan North, Ogbomoso North, Ibarapa Central and Akinyele local government areas. Prof Akinoso said: “Our local government congresses were attacked across Oyo state: Ibadan North, Ogbomoso South, Igboora (Ibarapa Central) Akinyele. “Three vehicles were destroyed in Ibadan North. They also attacked Gbolarumi House at Aare Avenue Bodija. “About 10 people have been injured in various attacks across the state. “There may be a need to upgrade the damages. More than 25 vehicles have been reported damaged across various locations. “The thugs are moving round the local governments, attacking individuals at home, damaging buildings and unleashing mayhem.” Akinoso alleged that thugs were moving round to unleash terror on the people. A video posted on Facebook showed about two dozens of men throwing stones, bottles and sticks into a compound believed to be Gbolarumi’s. Several vehicles parked in the compound were vandalised. Gbolarumi said on the phone that the suspected thugs came in about 15 buses, adding that some of them were known members of the state Park Management System (PMS). He said property estimated at N250 million were damaged by the thugs. Gbolarunmi said: “It’s true that my house was attacked by some political thugs.” He accused Governor Makinde Media reports flying around on social media as true. He blamed Governor Seyi Makinde for the attack. He said: “About eight vehicles were damaged in my compound. Some vehicles outside were also damaged beyond repairs. “They were shooting sporadically. Our boys would have caught them but for the fact that they were shooting. “What I felt happened was that we held our local government congresses across the state today, following a directive from the national body of our party. “As you know that we are the authentic PDP known and validated by the court and their own PDP is not recognised by both court and INEC. “The governor sent the Park Management System group (Motor park boys) to attack us because we do not support his faction of PDP. “We have reported the case to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police. The Director of DSS has visited through his men who conducted an on the spot assessment of the situation. “They even took pictures and made videos, though we are yet to be informed that anyone has been arrested in connection with the attacks.” Confirming the incident, Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the police were on top of the matter. He said: “It is an internal affair of a political party. It did not happen at the congress. It is outside the congress venues. “We received a report of the attack on the residence of a former governor of the state. “The Commissioner of Police (CP) Femi Haruna has ordered the arrest of the hoodlums. “We are on top of the matter.”