In the past few weeks, I have had heated conversatons with two longtime friends on Facebook — their voices, a mix of hope and frustration as they described the dramatic political shifts sweeping our region. In 2025, what once seemed like isolated instances of political opportunism have coalesced into a mass decampment epidemic. Prominent politicians, many of whom spent years under the PDP and LP banners, are defecting en masse to the APC. What does this mean for Southern Kaduna—a region historically marred by marginalization—is this realignment? is it not merely a change in party affiliation? it is a political reckoning? Is it a call for long-overdue emancipation?

I am strongly of the opinion that the decision by individual politicians to switch parties is perfectly rational. If you’re a politician whose career hinges on power, survival, and access to resources, aligning with the party that promises the best prospects is an expected maneuver. The switching of sides by some prominent Southern Kaduna’s politicians illustrates this dynamic vividly. It’ll be a deliberate oversightif I don’t project the fact that Leaders like Governor Uba Sani have been lauded for their “just” leadership, which many see as the antidote to years of perceived neglect by previous administrations. Yet, when everyone plays the survival game, the result is a classic coordination problem: the cumulative effect of individual defection can redefine the political landscape—but it also risks reducing parties to mere vehicles of opportunism rather than ideologically coherent platforms.
This epidemic of defections—from federal legislators and state assembly members to local council chairmen and grassrooot members —is driven by a potent mix of factors as articulated by the decampees. The most selfless and convincing factors of all that I am willing to entertain or even talked about is: The long history of political underrepresentation and the consequent yearning for empowerment have converged with the immediate lure of a more “just” and resource-rich APC. As one report noted, the defection of over 22 high-profile figures in a single rally in Kafanchan signals not just personal ambition but a broader demand for equity and recognition in a system that has long sidelined Southern Kaduna[see ref]
To put things into perspective, for decades, Southern Kaduna has been treated as a second-tier political entity—given deputy roles and symbolic posts rather than substantive leadership positions. The region’s history of political disenfranchisement to an extent have left us celebrating as groundbreaking achievements even the most tinyest political gains. Today, however, I hope that the mass defection to the APC pushes for a bolder aspiration: a demand for real power. The decampment should, in many ways, serve as a protest against the crumbs offered by former administrations and a call to negotiate from a position of strength. As articulated by regional voices in Africa Prime News, this is a bid for “strategic political emancipation” where the promise of governance is tied directly to the inclusion of Southern Kaduna in high-level decision-making [​see ref]

Personal reflection

I’ve watched the political arena evolve from a distance over the years, but witnessing this mass migration firsthand has been nothing short of surreal. It feels like watching a high-stakes chess match where each move not only alters the board but also redefines the very rules of the game. There is a personal irony in how those who once championed the PDP’s and LP’s ideals are now embracing the APC’s promises of ‘justice and inclusion’. Yet, the real question that haunts me is whether this shift will lead to meaningful political transformation or simply perpetuate a cycle of short-term survival tactics at the expense of long-term ideological commitment. In the grand sceme of things, I think largely, that the ramifications of this mass decampment are profound but on the one hand, the APC’s consolidation of power in Southern Kaduna might pave the way for more equitable political representation — if the promises of justice and inclusive governance are met. On the other hand, if the shift is driven solely by opportunistic calculations, then the region risks becoming yet another casualty of Nigeria’s recurring political instability. The challenge now is to ensure that these defections translate into tangible gains: a fair zoning arrangement, the allocation of key government positions, and genuine empowerment of Southern Kaduna’s citizens. Without such measures, the current defection epidemic might only deepen the cycle of political cynicism and disenfranchisement.

Conclusion: A Call for Strategic Emancipation

In the end, the question still remains: will Southern Kaduna’s politicians bold leap of faith finally secure the political emancipation its people have long deserved, or will it merely serve as another chapter in the ongoing saga of Nigeria’s political chess game? Only time will tell. It is safe at this point to close by making a clarion call for strategic political emancipation, demanding that our region be granted not just symbolic roles but substantial power in the governance of Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole. As the defection epidemic unfolds, the onus is on both the APC and the political leaders themselves to transform this moment of opportunism into a lasting foundation for equitable and effective governance.
and one final thought…
I hope it won’t be overt fantasy to express my desire to see the APC zone its governorship ticket to Southern Kaduna. We shall see…