Toba Owojaiye Reporting
In a defiant and politically charged declaration, former Jigawa State Governor and elder statesman, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has categorically denied rumours of his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing such a move as akin to “crawling into a smaller skin” unworthy of his political journey and legacy.
Truth Live News gathered that, Lamido, a former governor, minister and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the comments on Tuesday during an interaction with journalists in Kano, reaffirming his steadfast loyalty to the PDP despite its current internal rifts. His remarks come amid rising speculation over realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“I’m still in the PDP. Even though the party has some problems, I cannot renounce my history. I can’t simply walk out of my skin and crawl in flesh and blood and be conferred with a smaller skin called ADC. I cannot,” Lamido stated with emphasis.
Lamido, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Obasanjo administration and governed Jigawa State for eight years, stressed the enduring value of political consistency, legacy, and national service. According to him, the PDP is not just a party but the platform that helped shape his life-long dedication to public service.
“The PDP gave me my identity, my political family. I cannot discard that heritage. You don’t abandon your home just because there are cracks on the wall.”
While firmly rejecting a move to the ADC, Lamido, however, threw his weight behind any credible political alliance, whether from within or beyond the PDP, that can rescue Nigeria from its present challenges.
“I believe in Nigeria. So, any arrangement, be it within or outside the PDP, that will secure and save Nigeria, I am ready to work with it in 2027,” he asserted.
This strategic openness signals Lamido’s awareness of the broader political realignments already beginning to form ahead of the next general election cycle. Analysts see his remarks as a subtle call for a national rescue coalition that prioritizes competence, cohesion, and patriotism over partisan loyalty.
Lamido also took a direct swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party of fostering deeper divisions among Nigerians along ethnic and regional lines.
”“The APC government is the architect of disunity in Nigeria today. It has failed to manage our diversity and now thrives on sowing distrust between the North and South, Muslims and Christians, rich and poor.”
According to him, the nation’s most pressing issues, insecurity, mass poverty, hunger, and ethno-regional discontent, are being ignored in favour of political tokenism and distraction.
Addressing the renewed clamour for the creation of additional states in the federation, Lamido questioned the rationale behind such moves when the country is already buckling under the weight of insecurity and economic collapse.
“Will the creation of new states solve our problems, insecurity, poverty, hunger, and division? No. We must focus on what truly matters.”
His critique is likely to stir debate among lawmakers and pressure groups lobbying for state creation, many of whom argue that it brings governance closer to the people.
Commenting on the recent visit by Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso to President Bola Tinubu, Lamido maintained that every political leader has the right to engage in dialogue, so long as it serves the nation’s interest.
“Kwankwaso is entitled to his decisions. What matters is whether they contribute to healing and uniting Nigeria or deepen our divisions.”
Lamido’s comments mark a critical moment in the build-up to 2027. As political gladiators circle the arena and alliances begin to reshape, Lamido is positioning himself as a moral anchor, a political elder who refuses to chase fleeting platforms or personal gain. His rebuke of ADC as a “smaller skin” sends a strong signal to opportunistic politicians switching affiliations in search of relevance.
In a democracy riddled with defectors, Lamido’s message resonates: political legacy is not an outfit you wear or discard at will.
As the countdown to 2027 accelerates, Nigerians may well be looking to figures like Sule Lamido, not just for their experience, but for their courage to speak truth, even when inconvenient.
“Nigeria is bleeding. It is no time for small talk or small parties. We need a bold rescue, and I will be part of that movement, wherever it comes from,” Lamido concluded.