By our staff
After 25 years of unbroken loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna, Sunday Marshal Katung, is set to officially defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress on November 1.
The defection, which will be formally announced at a grand reception in Kafanchan, is seen as both symbolic and strategic, effectively ending the PDP’s uninterrupted hold on Southern Kaduna since 1999.
Reliable sources told Elanza news that Katung’s decision followed weeks of intensive consultations with key APC figures in Kaduna and Abuja, including Governor Uba Sani and members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inner circle.
“It’s no longer about party labels but aligning with the new political reality in Kaduna State,” one of the sources said.
Katung’s planned move comes barely weeks after he dismissed reports of defection as mere speculation, insisting he remained a committed PDP member. His media office at the time urged the public to disregard “unfounded rumours” and described them as distractions from his legislative duties.
But insiders say the senator’s mind is now made up.
“Southern Kaduna can no longer afford to remain in opposition while development opportunities are passing by”.
Since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, all senators from Kaduna South have emerged under the PDP — from late Isaiah Balat to Danjuma Laah, and now Katung. The region had long been regarded as the “Southern pillar” of PDP’s strength in the state.
Katung’s defection marks the collapse of that legacy.
“This is not just about one man.”
“It signifies a new political chapter for Southern Kaduna — one driven by pragmatism, not sentiment,”said political analyst Bldr. Aaron Haruna.
Governor Uba Sani’s inclusive approach is said to have reshaped perceptions about the APC in the region. Through political appointments, grassroots engagement and infrastructural renewal, the ruling party has made unprecedented inroads into former PDP strongholds such as Jema’a, Jaba, Zangon Kataf and Kauru.
Party loyalists have hailed Katung’s imminent defection as a “final blow” to the PDP’s structure in the region. “With this move, the region is now fully integrated into the new political order,” said Jema’a Council Chairman, Hon. Peter Tanko.
For the PDP, however, the senator’s exit could deepen the crisis within its ranks. A former party chieftain in Zango-Kataf described the move as “a devastating blow,” saying, “If the last pillar of the party in Southern Kaduna has fallen, then what remains is just a shadow of its former strength.”
Katung, a lawyer and former deputy governorship candidate, is expected to officially join the APC at the Kafanchan New Township Stadium on November 1. The event will be attended by top APC leaders, including members of the Federal Executive Council.