Kebbi Senator Maidoki Switches from APC to ADC

After the All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries in Kebbi State ended without resolution, Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, who represents Kebbi South, has left the ruling party and joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Maidoki, who chairs the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance and is Vice‑Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, said that the unresolved internal conflicts within the APC following the primaries prompted his decision. He was one of the lawmakers excluded from the primary process.

In a letter to the Senate President, which he read during Tuesday’s plenary, Maidoki explained that his choice was the result of “wide consultations with constituents.”

He said that the protracted problems stemming from the APC primaries were the catalyst for his move.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, urged the senator to reverse his defection and allow for reconciliation, arguing that the APC in Kebbi does not face a fundamental crisis and that Maidoki’s concerns could be addressed internally.

Barau added, “I wish to intervene and plead with the distinguished senator to rescind his decision. There is no internal problem in the APC in Kebbi State. This is more of a family dispute and we can reconcile. I move that this defection be stepped down for reconciliation.”

Maidoki declined the appeal, stating that he had already decided to leave. His exit joins a series of defections from the APC to the ADC in recent months, as dissatisfaction with party primaries and internal disputes pushes some lawmakers toward the opposition.

The ADC has been positioning itself as an alternative for politicians discontented with the ruling party’s internal processes as the 2027 general elections approach.

Maidoki’s departure is likely to deepen divisions and significantly alter the political landscape in Kebbi South.