Kano APC Crisis: Ganduje Storms Shekarau’s Residence For Reconciliation
- Presidency intervenes, stops planned defection
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Worried that his All Progressives Congress (APC)-led family is seriously falling apart in Kano State, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Friday took a bold step towards reconciliation and making things right ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Late on Friday and against all expectations, Governor Ganduje stormed the residence of former Governor and Senator, representing Kano Central Senatorial district, Ibrahim Shekarau on what party’s insiders described as a ‘reconciliation mission’.
Our competent sources hinted that with the crisis rocking the Kano chapter of APC almost becoming intractable, Governor Ganduje’s kitchen cabinet agreed that something urgent must be done to pacify Senator Shekarau and his loyalists to stop their planned defection to the latest bride in town, the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) this weekend.
According to the sources, receiving a ‘huge brotherly’ welcome at the former governor’s residence, both men excused themselves from their excited aides and some party stakeholders to have a closed-door meeting that lasted for quite some time.
Though the meeting’s outcome is yet to be made public by both parties, insiders said the sudden moves by Governor Ganduje have been long coming given concerns expressed by many stakeholders that allowing Shekarau and his aggrieved supporters to dump the ruling party for NNPP would cause massive electoral misfortune for APC in Kano State.
One of the sources said; “Both men just pulled away from their aides and loyalists, went inside for heart-to-heart discussions which we are not yet privy to until they decide to make the outcome available for public consumption.”
The NNPP is fast becoming the most popular political party in the ancient city of Kano being piloted by another former governor and founder of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as its National Leader.
The Presidency Intervention
As the closed-door meeting was going on, information quickly spread that the presidency may have decided to step in and resolve the internal crisis that has pitched the two gladiators against one another
A source hinted that there were plans by the presidency to despatch a jet Friday to convey Ganduje and Shekarau for an emergency meeting towards resolving the crisis and forestalling the planned decamping of Shekarau to the NNPP
With many APC chieftains dumping the party for the NNPP, it was gathered that Senator Kwankwaso had stormed Kano on Friday preparatory to the elaborate reception planned for Senator Shekarau and his supporters who were expected to join the NNPP’s moving train.
