A former commercial motorcycle rider who rose to national prominence after winning a House of Representatives seat under the Labour Party in 2023, Donatus Mathew, has lost his bid to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mathew, who represents Kaura Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, was among several lawmakers reportedly edged out during the APC primaries for the National Assembly.
The lawmaker, popularly known as the “Okada rider lawmaker,” defected from the Labour Party to the APC in December 2024, citing internal crises within the opposition party and the need for political stability.
However, during the APC primary election, Mathew reportedly polled 255 votes, losing to his rival who secured 1,085 votes.
Mathew first gained national attention during the 2023 general elections when he defeated a four-term incumbent under the platform of the Labour Party, polling 10,508 votes against 10,297 votes scored by his closest opponent.
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His victory was widely celebrated as one of the major upsets of the election season and seen as a reflection of the grassroots-driven “Obi wave” that boosted the Labour Party across parts of the country.
Born in 1988 in Kpak, Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mathew attended LGEA Primary School in Kadarko, Saint Jani Seminary School, and Teachers’ College, Kagoro, before earning a degree in Philosophy from Saint Albert Institute.
Before venturing into politics, he worked as a commercial motorcycle rider, a job he once said sustained him through periods of economic hardship and unemployment.
“Before I became a councillor, I was an okada man. I used a bike to sustain myself, and I am proud of that. That is my humble beginning,” he had said in an interview.
According to reports, several other former Labour Party lawmakers who defected to the APC also failed to secure return tickets during the primaries.
Political observers say the outcome reflects the challenges defectors often face in navigating established party structures despite their electoral popularity.