Mass exodus has continued to hit the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kano as senator representing Kano Central Ibrahim Shekarau, a member representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya Federal Constituency, Alhassan Rurum and former member of the House of Representatives Kawu Sumaila concluded arrangements to defect to the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Insiders told DAILY NIGERIAN that the former governor had summoned a meeting of his top political associates, dubbed ‘Shura Council’, where his defection will be made public and ratified on Tuesday.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that Messrs Rurum and Sumaila, who are formidable politicians in Kano South Senatorial District, had met with the national leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Abuja on Monday.
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In addition to nine PDP members of the House of Assembly who defected to NNPP, already two other formidable APC politicians in Kano North, Tijjani Jobe (a member representing Dawakin-Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency) and Mohammed Butubutu (a member representing Rimin Gado/Tofa Constituency in Kano Assembly) have dumped the APC for NNPP.
A source familiar with the development confirmed to DAILY NIGERIAN that “Mallam [Shekarau] is also in contact with the NNPP leaders” and has finalised arrangement to leave APC and join NNPP alongside Haruna Dederi and Nasiru Auduwa, members representing Karaye/Rogo Federal Constituency and Gabasawa/Gezawa Federal Constituency respectively.
Mr Shekarau, whose faction lost leadership tussle at the Supreme Court last week, was reconciled with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje by the national leaders of the APC.
But the reconciliation, insiders said, apparently failed due to mistrust and uncertainty of fielding Mr Shekarau as the consensus candidate of the APC.
According to an unwritten arrangement set by the national chairman of the APC, the party will give automatic tickets to all serving and former governors aspiring for senatorial seats.
But sources said Mr Shekarau did not trust the arrangement as other contenders for the Kano Central Senatorial seat had already purchased forms to challenge him.
DAILY NIGERIAN reliably gathered Senator Bashir Garba Lado, A.A. Zaura and Ismail Ahmed had already purchased their nominations forms to challenge Mr Shekarau for the Kano Central seat.
