Audu Maikori, one of Africa’s foremost creative entrepreneurs, activists, and entertainment lawyers, has formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a historic political realignment in Southern Kaduna.
Maikori’s defection was announced at a mega rally held on Saturday in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area. The event, attended by top political figures, symbolised a major breakthrough for the ruling party in a region traditionally dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
President Bola Tinubu, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, officially welcomed Maikori and several other opposition politicians into the APC. The president’s representation at the rally underscored the strategic importance of the move to consolidate political unity under Governor Uba Sani’s administration.
Governor Sani described the defection as “a new dawn for Southern Kaduna politics,” adding that his government remains focused on inclusive governance that transcends ethnic, religious, and political divides. “While elections may divide, governance must unite,” he stated.
Party leaders hailed Maikori’s entry as one of APC’s most significant wins in the zone. House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen called the development “historic,” noting that Southern Kaduna residents were “reclaiming their political destiny.”
Senator Sunday Katung (Kaduna South) and Representative Daniel Amos (Jema’a/Sanga) also commended President Tinubu’s developmental focus in the region and pledged to strengthen the APC’s grassroots presence.
A 50-year-old native of Kwoi, Maikori brings extensive experience in youth development and public service. During his tenure on President Goodluck Jonathan’s SURE-P committee (2012–2015), he oversaw the expansion of the Graduate Internship Scheme from 1,800 to 22,000 participants and implemented programs reaching more than 119,000 young Nigerians nationwide.
Widely respected for his advocacy on Southern Kaduna’s security and human rights issues, Maikori made headlines in 2017 after his arrest by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai over social media posts about communal violence. The Federal High Court later ruled the arrests unlawful, awarding him ₦10.5 million in damages in a landmark free speech case.
The son of Adamu Audu Maikori, Southern Kaduna’s first indigenous lawyer and a 1990 governorship aspirant, Audu continues a family legacy of civic engagement. His mother hails from the ancient Ham royal family.
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