The defection took place on Saturday at the PDP State Secretariat in Lalan Gusau, Zamfara State capital, in what party leaders described as a "festival of welcome" for one of the most prominent politicians from Zamfara North.
Talban Zurmi is not a new face in Zamfara politics. He has served as Chairman of Zurmi Local Government, Commissioner in the state government, and Chairman of the Zamfara State Hajj Commission. Until his defection, he still held a position in the current APC-led administration.
The PDP Chairman of Zurmi Local Government, Hon. Sabi'u Aliyu, presented Talban Zurmi to the state party leadership. He described the defection as a wonderful milestone for the PDP in the emirate.
According to Sabi'u Aliyu, bringing in a politician of Talban Zurmi’s experience and pedigree shows that people are losing confidence in the APC. He said Zurmi people have been yearning for an alternative that can truly address their problems.
Receiving the decampees, the Zamfara State PDP Chairman, Zilfikar Auwal Tambaya, (Mainan Tsafe), said the party is ready to take over the Government House in less than 120 days.
"We organised this wonderful festival to welcome one of the state’s prominent politicians, Talban Zurmi," Tambaya Tsafe said. "We welcome him with open hands. His coming shows that APC is finished in Zamfara North."
The PDP Chairman cited other big names from the zone who have recently joined the PDP, including Hanafi Musa Moriki and Yasinu Lukman Kaura and other high-profile politicians. He said the wave of defections proves that the people of Zamfara North have rejected the APC and are returning to the PDP.
In his defection speech, Talban Zurmi thanked the PDP leadership for accepting him as a full member. He said the decision to leave the APC was not about personal ambition but about the suffering of the people of Zamfara, especially those in rural communities.
"The people of Zamfara, especially in the villages, are in a critical condition," he said. "To the extent that they now see only the PDP as the alternative. This administration has neglected its people and put them in a difficult situation."
He gave an example of the hardship in the state capital. "Even here in Gusau, no fewer than one million people are sleeping with hunger. They are unable to eat two square meals a day," he said.
Talban Zurmi insisted that Zurmi Local Government remains a PDP stronghold despite being under APC control at the state level. "Zurmi is PDP local government and still nothing has changed. The local government is still for PDP," he declared.
He called on PDP leaders at all levels to keep the door open for more defectors. According to him, many people are looking for a way to survive and they believe only the PDP can provide that hope.
"The people are tired. They want change. They want a government that will care for them. That is why they are coming to PDP," he added.
Political observers say Talban Zurmi’s defection is a major setback for the APC in Zamfara North. With his influence, grassroots network and experience in government, his exit is expected to weaken the ruling party’s structure in Zurmi and neighboring areas.
The PDP in Zamfara has in recent months been receiving a stream of high-profile defectors from the APC. Party leaders say this is a sign that voters are preparing to return the PDP to power in the state.
As Talban Zurmi put it, "People are looking for survival, and only PDP is the alternative to them."
