“I Can’t Join APC” — Zamfara Commissioner Resigns After Gov Lawal’s Defection

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mallam Wadatau Madawaki, stepped down shortly after Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal defected to the All Progressives Congress.

Madawaki confirmed his decision during a telephone conversation. He made it clear that his exit was directly tied to the governor’s political move.

According to him, remaining in office under the new party arrangement was not an option.

“I only resigned because the Governor is joining the APC. I’m a PDP member. I’ve never been an APC and I’m not ready to be an APC member,” he said.

The former commissioner stressed that his action was voluntary. He explained that there was no form of pressure from the governor or any government official.

He revealed that during a stakeholders’ meeting, the governor openly assured appointees that they were free to make their own political decisions without coercion.

Madawaki described his resignation as a matter of principle. He said it was important for him to remain consistent with his political identity, having been a long-standing member of the PDP.

His stance reflects growing tension among party loyalists unsettled by the sudden shift in allegiance at the top level of government.

Governor Lawal has since accepted the resignation. The state government moved quickly to avoid a leadership vacuum in the ministry.

The Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, announced that the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, will take over the education ministry in an acting capacity with immediate effect.

However, the resignation comes just days after Governor Lawal, his deputy Mani Mummuni, and several loyalists dumped the PDP for the APC.

The governor had cited lingering internal crises, legal disputes, and unresolved party conflicts as reasons for the defection.