Why I left PDP for ADC — Tambuwal

Former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has defended his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the party as a viable platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the next general election.

Tambuwal, who recently announced his defection, said the move followed extensive consultations and studies on Nigeria’s political environment conducted over the past two years.

According to him, political leaders, expert,s and academics were engagedin analysinge the strength and future prospects of major political parties in the country before a decision was reached.

“Consultations and studies of Nigeria’s political environment that culminated in this decision did not start yesterday. They started over two years ago when we projected into the future,” he said.

The former governor explained that the study reviewed several parties, including the PDP and the Labour Party, and suggested that both parties might struggle to remain strong opposition platforms in the future.

“They reviewed the PDP, the Labour Party and other parties and advised that from their analysis the PDP was not going to survive, and that Labour might also not survive,” he stated.

Tambuwal said the decision by opposition leaders to adopt the ADC platform was partly driven by concerns that Nigeria could drift toward a one-party state if credible alternatives were not strengthened.

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He also expressed confidence that the ADC could emerge as a formidable force capable of challenging the APC in the next general election.

According to him, the outcome of elections ultimately depends on the will of the people rather than the number of political office holders within a party.

“It is about the people of Nigeria. Today there are two sets of people — those benefiting from the government and the majority who are clearly unhappy with what is happening in the country,” he said.

The senator cited rising insecurity, poverty and governance challenges as major factors fueling dissatisfaction among Nigerians.
Tambuwal also raised concerns about the proposed timeline for party primaries announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that early primaries could negatively affect governance.

“When primaries are conducted too early, governance slows down because political office holders shift their attention to campaigns,” he noted, adding that he would have preferred the primaries to hold later in the year.

He further alleged that anti-corruption measures are selectively enforced, claiming that politicians who defect from the ruling party often face investigations and intimidation.

“Once you leave the ruling party for the opposition, you get harassed and intimidated. But when you join the ruling party, investigations against you slow down,” he said.

On his political future, Tambuwal said he was still consulting widely before deciding whether to seek re-election or contest for another position.

“I am still consulting and have not taken any final decision,” he added.

The former governor also dismissed reports of internal crisis within the ADC in Sokoto State, insisting that the party structure in the state remains intact and recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).