Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu has sharply criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a major political development in Zamfara State, where Governor Dauda Lawal is reportedly set to defect. Shehu’s remarks, posted on his verified X account, frame the situation as a definitive shift in the state’s political landscape.
The commentary directly references Governor Lawal’s earlier statement that the upcoming Court of Appeal judgment on the PDP’s internal leadership crisis would determine his political future. Speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Gusau, Lawal had tied any potential defection to the court’s ruling on the legitimacy of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki’s leadership and the validity of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan.
In his post, Shehu used stark, direct language to suggest the PDP’s options are now exhausted. He wrote, “No more leg dragging. No more knee jerking. No more grandstanding. No more swearing. No more prayers. Survival instinct is the only visible human reality.” He extended sarcastic congratulations to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declared the PDP effectively defunct (“RIP PDP”), and noted the position of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) (“Sorry ADC”). A brief reference to former President Olusegun Obasanjo as being “on limbo” was also included.
The core of Shehu’s argument is that political pragmatism has replaced previous posturing, prayers, or procedural delays. His metaphorical language—such as “He knocked and the door was wide opened”—implies that Governor Lawal’s anticipated move is now inevitable and welcomed elsewhere.
This incident highlights the deepening rift within the PDP, particularly in Zamfara State, where the party has been embroiled in a factional dispute parallel to a national leadership crisis. The Court of Appeal’s forthcoming decision is seen as a catalyst that could trigger further defections, potentially weakening the PDP’s structure ahead of future elections. Governor Lawal’s possible departure would represent a significant loss for the opposition party in a key northwestern state and a gain for the ruling APC. The situation underscores how intra-party legal battles can precipitate realignments in Nigeria’s political space. The immediate next step is the appellate court’s judgment, expected to clarify the PDP’s recognized leadership and, in turn, solidify or disrupt the current calculations of politicians like Lawal.
