Vice President Kashim Shettima has said recent political defections in Kaduna State suggest the All Progressives Congress is consolidating its influence under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, describing the development as a shift toward effective one-party dominance.
Shettima made the comment during the inauguration of the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme at the weekend, where he commended the governor’s strategy of broadening the party’s appeal and attracting opposition figures into the APC fold.
He noted that several lawmakers representing Soba, Makarfi and Kudan federal constituencies were preparing to defect to the ruling party, crediting the governor’s inclusive political outreach for the realignment.
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, the vice president recalled that the APC had recorded heavy setbacks in Kaduna at the time. He said the party lost all three Senate seats to the Peoples Democratic Party and secured only four of the 16 National Assembly seats, while the PDP won 10 and the Labour Party took two.
According to him, the balance has since shifted due to what he called deliberate reconciliation efforts by the governor and party leaders, resulting in the return of notable political figures to the APC. He cited the presence of former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and Senator Sunday Marshal among those who had joined the party.
Shettima described the APC’s breakthrough in Southern Kaduna as historically significant, noting that the zone had consistently elected PDP senators since 1999. He said the party’s recent success there marked a major political turning point.
He further announced that a serving House of Representatives member from the Igabi Federal Constituency — one of the largest constituencies in the country — had also defected to the APC. The constituency reportedly has about 600 polling units and roughly 400,000 registered voters.
The vice president attributed the wave of defections to Governor Sani’s leadership approach, which he said had built confidence across ethnic and political divides.
He also praised the Kaduna State Government’s partnership with the Federal Government on the Tudun Biri Resettlement Scheme, calling it a practical demonstration of responsive governance.
In his remarks, Governor Sani thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving Tudun Biri as the first community to benefit from the federal resettlement programme for victims of conflict, following the accidental bombing incident in December 2023.
The governor said the initiative underscored the importance of combining security measures with development and economic inclusion to sustain long-term peace.
