Key takeaways
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Sule Lamido has rejected Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s claim that he is now associated with the APC.
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Shettima reportedly said all four former Jigawa governors were associated with the ruling party.
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Lamido says he could consider joining the APC before the 2027 elections if insecurity in Northern Nigeria is brought under control.
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He identified kidnapping, Boko Haram activities and banditry as major security problems requiring attention.
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Lamido challenged the APC to highlight its achievements in Jigawa State and the wider North.
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He has not confirmed a defection from the PDP; his statement remains conditional.
Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has said he could consider joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2027 general elections if President Bola Tinubu’s administration succeeds in ending insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
Lamido made the position known while responding to Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s claim that he and other former governors of Jigawa State were now associated with the ruling party.
The former governor maintained that his political position had not changed and described Shettima’s statement as false, insisting that he was not aware of any development that would suggest he had joined the APC.
Lamido Links Possible APC Defection To Security Improvements
Explaining what could influence his decision to join the ruling party, Lamido identified the need to address kidnapping, Boko Haram activities, banditry and other security challenges affecting Northern Nigeria.
He said his priority was the welfare of the people, arguing that political decisions should be guided by the interests of the region rather than personal considerations.
According to Lamido, if the Tinubu administration can restore peace and unity in the North and bring an end to the security problems affecting communities, he would be willing to consider joining the APC.
His remarks place security at the centre of his conditional position on a possible political realignment ahead of the next general elections.
Former Jigawa Governor Rejects Shettima’s Claim
The disagreement followed comments made by Shettima during the APC presidential campaign rally held in Dutse on Tuesday.
At the event, the Vice-President reportedly declared that Jigawa State was firmly behind the ruling party. He also claimed that all four former governors of the state, including Lamido, a founding figure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were now associated with the APC.
Lamido challenged that assertion, questioning why he would be associated with the ruling party in 2026 when he was not with the APC in 2014.
He also suggested that the claim was an attempt to gain political sympathy in Jigawa State by linking the ruling party with prominent opposition politicians.
Lamido Challenges APC To Highlight Its Achievements
Beyond rejecting Shettima’s statement, the former governor challenged the APC to identify its achievements in Jigawa State and across Northern Nigeria.
He argued that the ruling party’s inability to demonstrate significant accomplishments in the region had encouraged it to associate itself with influential Northern politicians.
Lamido’s response therefore went beyond a disagreement over his political affiliation, raising questions about the APC’s performance and its standing among voters in the North.
However, he did not announce a decision to leave the PDP or formally declare an intention to join the APC. Instead, he presented an improvement in the region’s security situation as the condition that could influence such a decision.
Quote Section: What Sule Lamido Said About Joining APC
Responding to Shettima’s claim about his political affiliation, Lamido said:
“I am not aware of what Vice-President Kashim Shettima was saying. For God’s sake, I was not with the APC in 2014, so why would I be with it now in 2026?
He also explained the condition under which he would consider joining the ruling party:
“I swear to God, if they end kidnapping, Boko Haram, banditry and all the evils in the North, I will definitely join the APC because whatever we are doing, we are doing it for our people.”
Lamido’s Position Leaves Door Open To Possible Political Realignment
Lamido’s response leaves open the possibility of a political realignment before the 2027 general elections, but his comments do not amount to a confirmed defection.
For now, the former Jigawa governor has tied any consideration of joining the APC to improvements in security across Northern Nigeria, while firmly rejecting Shettima’s suggestion that he is already associated with the ruling party.
His position places the responsibility on the Tinubu administration to address the security concerns he identified before he would consider changing his political affiliation.
