Donatus Mathew, a former commercial motorcycle (okada) rider who won the Kaura Federal Constituency seat in Kaduna State under the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, has failed to secure his party’s ticket to return to the National Assembly in 2027.
Mathew gained national attention in 2023 when, riding the wave of the Labour Party’s popularity, he defeated a four-term incumbent in Kaura Federal Constituency. He polled 10,508 votes, beating his closest rival who secured 10,297 votes. It was one of the biggest upsets of the election, during which Peter Obi was the party’s presidential candidate.
His victory under the Labour Party was widely celebrated as a symbol of grassroots political awakening, especially at the peak of the “Obi wave” that swept across parts of the country during the presidential election campaign.
Defection to APC and Loss of Ticket
In December 2024, Mathew defected from the Labour Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He cited internal crises within the opposition party and the need for broader political stability as his reasons.
“You cannot just work on the decision of the people at the constituency level because you are dealing with people with different levels of understanding,” Mathew said at the time. “I am taking this decision based on conviction. That is why whether you like it or not, there are people within the constituency who are convinced that it (defection) is the right decision for them. There are those who are sceptical, waiting for the outcome.”
However, his move did not pay off. Mathew reportedly polled just 255 votes in the APC primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, while his rival secured 1,085 votes. The result effectively ended his fairy-tale run in the National Assembly.
Background of the Okada Rider Turned Lawmaker
Born in 1988 in Kpak, Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area in Kaduna State, Mathew began his education at LGEA Primary School in Kadarko. He later attended Saint Jani Seminary School and Teachers’ College, Kagoro, before earning a degree in philosophy from Saint Albert Institute.
Before entering national politics, Mathew worked as an okada rider to survive during difficult economic times and unemployment, a story that resonated with many voters.
Other former Labour Party federal lawmakers who defected to the APC and lost their re-election tickets include: Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State), Senator Neda Imasuen (Edo South), Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau), among others.
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