Setback For Kaduna ADC Merger As Women Leader, Zainab Quits SDP

Kaduna’s political landscape has been jolted by the resignation of Hajia Zainab Sani, the Women Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the state, a development analysts describe as a major setback to the planned SDP–ADC merger reportedly being spearheaded by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Zainab, a formidable grassroots mobilizer from Giwa Local Government Area, has for years stood out as one of the most influential female political figures in Kaduna. A former stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), she played a central role in women’s mobilisation during several of the party’s election victories before defecting to the SDP, where she became one of El-Rufai’s trusted political allies.

Announcing her resignation, Zainab said she could no longer remain in a party that, in her words, “has lost touch with the people” and is “driven more by elite political interests than by the realities of the masses.”

“The SDP has failed to demonstrate a people-first agenda,” she declared. “Our people are still grappling with poverty, insecurity, and hunger. Many in Kaduna have not forgotten the anti-people policies of the last administration, and I will not be part of any arrangement that seeks to repackage that legacy under a different banner.”

Her remarks, observers say, were a clear swipe at El-Rufai’s administration, whose policies, including mass demolitions, mass sackings, and strained relations with labour and community groups, remain deeply controversial.

Zainab’s exit comes at a time Governor Uba Sani is consolidating his image as a people-oriented leader through pro-poor policies, empowerment programmes, and rural development initiatives that have earned him wide grassroots support.

Analysts believe her resignation could reshape the emerging political alliances in Kaduna, particularly as the SDP struggles to maintain relevance amid talks of a merger with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to form a third force ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Zainab’s departure is not just symbolic, it’s strategic. She commands enormous influence among women and youths across rural Kaduna. Losing her now is a major blow to the El-Rufai camp and raises questions about the credibility of the proposed SDP–ADC coalition” a political commentator noted.

While Zainab has yet to announce her next political move, insider sources told our correspondent that, she has concluded arrangements to return to the APC with over 5,000 women leaders drawn from the northern and central parts of the state.

Her defection, if confirmed, would significantly boost Governor Uba Sani’s governance drive and reinforce his growing hold on grassroots politics across Kaduna.

Observers say her decision reflects a broader shift in Kaduna’s political alignment, from elite-driven scheming to issue-based and people-centred engagement.

For many, it also signals waning enthusiasm for El-Rufai’s new political experiment, even among his long-time loyalists.

As one local analyst put it, “Zainab Sani’s resignation may be the first crack in El-Rufai’s merger wall, and perhaps the clearest sign yet that Kaduna’s grassroots politics is gravitating toward empathy, inclusion, and real impact.”