The Kaduna State caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives on Tuesday suffered a major setback as three of its members defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers; Abdulkarim Ahmed (Kaduna South), Aliyu Mustapha (Ikara/Kubau), and Sadiq Ango-Abdullahi (Sabongari), formally announced their defections through separate letters read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary.

Their exit marks another wave of defections that has hit the PDP in Kaduna in recent months, following a string of high-profile switches to the ruling APC. Recent defectors include Senator Shehu Sani and Hon. Amos Magaji, among others.

In their letters, the lawmakers cited the “lingering crisis and deep factionalism” within the PDP as the main reason for their decision, stressing that the situation had made it difficult for them to perform their legislative duties effectively.

Abdulkarim Ahmed, in his resignation letter addressed to the PDP Chairman in Makera Ward, Kaduna South, said, “The constant internal conflicts and factionalism within the PDP, which have climaxed into an elongated party crisis, are undesirably impacting my ability to effectively represent my constituency.”

He added that after “wide consultations with constituents, key stakeholders, and political allies,” he decided to resign and join the APC to better serve his people and align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

The defections come amid what political observers describe as a strategic consolidation of the APC in Kaduna, with Governor Uba Sani and Speaker Abbas actively welcoming defectors in a series of recent events.