The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor Umar Abdullahi Ganduje have extended overtures to former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau asking him to re-join the ruling party ahead of 2019 general elections, Daily Trust learnt.
A reliable source close to Shekarau confided in Daily Trust yesterday that some top APC chieftains in Kano and Abuja had commenced discussions with Shekarau and his associates to convince them to return to the APC which they worked hard to form.
The overtures were reportedly intensified in the wake of the defection of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and some legislators who left APC to PDP on Tuesday.
Kwankwaso had since parted ways with Ganduje and sources said recent moved by the APC in Kano was to join forces ahead of 2019.
To actualize this, another source said Governor Ganduje had yesterday in Abuja met with some close political associates of Shekarau.
He said, “Among the politicians invited are former commissioners and special advisers who served under Shekarau when he was governor.
“The move started several months ago; but efforts were intensified recently after APC realized that Senator Kwankwaso and his followers had concluded plans to leave the party.
“I can confidently tell you that Shekarau is expected to provide a deputy to Governor Ganduje to replace Professor Hafiz Abubakar who would soon be dropped.
“The plan is that Professor Abubakar will be given a choice to either resign voluntarily or be impeached by the House of Assembly. The man was recently featured in a video clip attending political gathering with top ranking members of Kwankwasiyya group and this is the second time he was seen aligning himself with Kwankwaso,” the source said.
Commenting on the development, a diehard supporter of Shekarau, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yusuf, said the realignment was a welcome development.
“It would add value to the party not only in Kano but across Nigeria; Ganduje and Shekarau would effectively checkmate Kwankwaso,” he said.
