Kano: Gale of Defection Hits APC

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The rank of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Kano state is depleting daily in a manner that has not been experienced in the last eight years since the party came to power.

An indication that things are not okay in the party first emerged last week after a former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin said he was quitting the party.

The former House of Representatives member said he has dumped the party, urging his supporters to watch his next move to another party.

“I have done my best for APC. It’s time to move on. I will announce my new political party within the next 24 hours. I will make a formal statement in due course,” Jibrin said in one of his social media platforms.

The former lawmaker who is also the Director General of Ahmed Bola Tinubu Campaign Group has been having a running battle with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who is believed not to be dispose to his aspiration to represent the party in the House next year.

But in a last-minute effort to stop Jibrin’s defection, Governor Ganduje tried to broker a truce during the week after meeting with the lawmaker.

From all indications, the peace talk seemed to have hit the rocks, it’s not enough to persuaded the former House of Representative Chairman on Appropriation, who has now defected to the Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso-led ANPP.

On Friday, the former lawmaker was among those that received Kwakwanso from the airport during his visit to the state, ending speculations of his plan to join the party, under which the former governor plans to contest for president next year.

Apart from Jibril, the magazine learnt that those that have left the party in anger include a former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau, the Chief of Staff to the governor, Ali Makoda, amongst others.

The Daily Trust reported that effort by APC Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu to persuade Shekarau to remain in the party has also failed.

The former governor had refused to attend a meeting in Abuja arranged by the Adamu to broker truce among warring factions in the party in the state.

According to the newspaper, Shekarau was billed to attend a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, where the issues will be resolved, but later discovered that it was at the instance of Adamu. He refused to attend.

Shekarau, the magazine learnt later confided in some close aides that the development has proved to him that the APC leadership is not ready to settle the rift between him, Governor Ganduje and other aggrieved members of the party in the state.