A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, has dumped the party.

Vatsa was appointed Special Adviser on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) by Governor Umaru Bago in 2023, and later Special Adviser on Media and Communication, before he was dropped in December 2025.

In another development, a former chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Muhammad Sa’idu, has declared the party dead in Kaduna State after his reported defection with over 200,000 card-carrying members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A former political ally of former Governor Nasir el-Rufai and Commissioner of Finance in the last administration, Sai’du spoke at a ceremony organised in Zaria over the weekend to receive ADC defectors.

However, in a letter of resignation addressed to the APC Chairman of Gulu Anguwa-Gulu Vatsa ward in Lapai Local Council Area, Vatsa said he had quit the party on personal grounds after consulting with his family, friends and political associates.

Vatsa had maintained his opposition against the Muslim-Muslim ticket at both the presidency and the state levels, warning that the party was facing possible doom and calling for balance in the sharing of political appointments and elective offices in the state.

Meanwhile, Sai’du explained that his group, the Kaduna De-Initiatives, was the pillar of the ADC and constituted its structure from ward to state level after the congresses. He regretted, however, that “a few individuals who later joined the ADC hijacked it” after his group had built the party with their strength, sweat and blood.

In his remarks, Governor Sani said Saidu was a principled and trustworthy politician, describing the ADC bigwigs’ defections as a day of joy for Nigeria in general and Kaduna State in particular.