The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is steadily transforming from a fringe opposition party into a political force in Katsina, as former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Lawal Daura, formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election on the party’s platform.
Mr Daura announced his ambition at a youth sensitisation and mobilisation programme in Katsina on Wednesday, in what party insiders describe as part of a broader strategy to consolidate elite influence and grassroots momentum ahead of the next general elections.
Although he has long been associated with national security architecture rather than partisan politics, Mr Daura said the time has come to publicly disclose the political vehicle through which he intends to pursue his governorship ambition.
“The moment demands openness and commitment,” he told party members and supporters, urging ADC loyalists to remain united, disciplined and respectful to party leadership.
He expressed confidence that sustained unity would enable the party to “reclaim its lost glory” in Katsina, a state dominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) since 2015.
Elite defections, grassroots anger
Mr Daura’s declaration comes amid an intensifying push by the ADC to capitalise on growing discontent over insecurity, economic hardship and agricultural decline in rural Katsina.
At the same event, a senior party chieftain, Mustapha Inuwa, accused the APC-led government of undermining farmers through policies that favour food imports despite rising costs of fertiliser, seeds and transportation.
“The farmer is poorer today than ever,” Mr Inuwa said, illustrating the decline in purchasing power by noting that the proceeds from selling five tiyas of maize could barely buy a bottle of palm oil.
According to him, a farmer would now need to sell about 50 bags of maize to raise N1 million—an amount he described as “a measure of how badly rural livelihoods have collapsed.”
Mr Inuwa described the government as insensitive to rural communities, arguing that economic pressure on farmers was quietly reshaping political loyalties across the state.
Defections and collapsing opposition rivals
Beyond rhetoric, the ADC says it is recording tangible gains.
Mr Inuwa said 71 members of the APC had recently defected to the ADC, while claiming that the entire Labour Party structure in parts of Katsina was in advanced talks to decamp en bloc.
Party officials believe the combination of elite entrants, disillusioned ruling-party members, and youth mobilisation could significantly alter Katsina’s political map ahead of 2027.
One million members claim
The party’s expansion narrative was reinforced on Wednesday, when the ADC announced it had registered over one million members across Katsina State.
The party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Ibrahim Aminu-Trader, disclosed this at an ADC stakeholders’ meeting in Katsina, saying the registration exercise covered all 34 local government areas.
“So far, we have recorded over one million registrations, and our membership cards have finished,” Mr Aminu-Trader said, adding that the party was already sourcing additional cards.
He said the influx of youths, women and defectors from other parties reflected a growing appetite for political alternatives in the state.
“In a short time, we are confident of registering between three and four million members,” he said.
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A crowded ADC governorship primary field
Like Mr Daura, Mr Aminu-Trader is also eyeing the ADC governorship ticket, setting the stage for what party insiders expect to be a competitive internal contest.
Analysts say the convergence of former security elites, grassroots politicians and defectors from rival parties suggests the ADC is positioning itself not merely as an opposition voice, but as a structured alternative capable of challenging APC dominance in Katsina.
Whether this momentum translates into electoral success remains uncertain. But with high-profile entrants like Mr Daura and an aggressive membership drive, the ADC appears determined to make Katsina one of its major battlegrounds in 2027.
