2023: Atiku’s Chances Boosted As Shekarau Dumps NNPP For PDP
BY SALISU IBRAHIM, KANO – Former Kano State Governor, and the incumbent senator representing Kano Central, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau on Monday formally defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Shekarau, who was elected to the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP following his inability to secure a ticket to re-contest the same position in the 2023 general election under the APC.
He later joined NNPP where he secured the ticket but shortly after moving to the NNPP, Shekarau began to have a running battle with the Party’s Presidential Candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over what he said was the non-fulfillment of promises, a development that led to his defection to his former party, the PDP, before the merger that led to the formation of the APC.
Shekarau announced his defection on Monday in the presence of the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State alongside other bigwigs of the party.
Our Correspondent reports that Shekarau left the NNPP alleging that the National Leader and Party’s Presidential Candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, failed to honour and implement the agreements reached with his group before his defection to NNPP in May, this year.
While delivering his speech at an event at his residence, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau said: “I and my followers have today dump NNPP for PDP”.
Shekarau declared that his action was aimed at restoring justice and fairness in the country and assured of his readiness to work for and mobilize his supporters across the country to guarantee the victory of Atiku during next year’s presidential election.
The event was witnessed by the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, his vice presidential running mate, Senator Okowa, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, and former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, and several other party bigwigs.
