In a major political shake-up in Kwara State, former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and ex-federal lawmaker Abubakar Amuda Kannike have officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where they are already taking up leadership roles.
The development, confirmed by ADC chieftain Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, marks one of the most significant defections in the state’s recent political history.
Abdulrasaq described the ADC as a “credible alternative” to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP, noting that the entry of Ahmed and Kannike has repositioned the party ahead of future contests.
Ahmed, who served as governor between 2011 and 2019, was a long-time ally of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, while Kannike represented Ilorin East/Ilorin South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019.
“Many of the politicians who resigned from the PDP in Kwara have already joined us,” Abdulrasaq said. “Former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is with us, actively engaged in ADC activities. Hon. Amuda Kannike is also fully with us. These leaders are now at the grassroots, giving direction to the party.”
Other prominent figures said to be strengthening the ADC structure include former Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, former lawmaker Zakari Mohammed, and grassroots mobiliser Oba Aluko.
Abdulrasaq further revealed that his own defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ADC came with the party’s entire structure in Kwara—193 ward chairmen and 16 local government executives.
He stressed that Ahmed and Kannike are not mere members but leaders working to consolidate the party’s base.
“What sets ADC apart from APC and PDP is our principle. We have vowed not to treat people the way other politicians have treated them. We will not manipulate or exploit them,” he added.
The defections come at a time when political actors in Kwara are mounting pressure for the 2027 governorship ticket to be ceded to Kwara North, a region that has never produced the state’s governor. Stakeholders argue that inclusion will deepen equity in the state’s political arrangement.
Abdulrazaq was a former National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
