The national chairman of All Progressived Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has said Katsina State remains an APC state, dismissing a mistake by the State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda who had declared that the state is a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The incident occurred during the handover of party flags to the 34 APC local government chairmanship candidates ahead of the February 15 poll.
In what appeared to be a slip during the high-profile political event in Ingawa, Governor Radda while urging APC supporters to mobilise for the forthcoming local government elections, Radda, who seemingly veered off-script, declared, “Katsina will be PDP and continue to be PDP.”
Although he quickly corrected himself, there were mixed reactions from the crowd, with opposition members seizing on the statement as a reflection of the growing influence of the PDP in the state.
Despite the error, Governor Radda reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to maintaining its dominance in the state.
“We are ready for the forthcoming elections, and I am confident that APC will win the 2027 polls as well. Katsina is united under the APC,” he added.
In his address, Ganduje, correcting the slip, said “The massive turnout today, including the 40,000 defectors who joined our party, shows that Katsina belongs to the APC.
“We remain strong, united, and focused on delivering good governance,” he stated.
However, social media was abuzz shortly after the event, with PDP supporters celebrating the governor’s slip as a sign of the APC’s dwindling grip on Katsina politics.
Political analysts, however, see the governor’s gaffe as a possible indication of the PDP’s resurgence in Katsina.
The opposition party has recently gained momentum, with notable defections and increased grassroots mobilisation challenging the APC’s stronghold in the state.
