Shekarau dumps PDP

Former Governor of Kano State Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).



The 2011 presidential aspirant on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) left the PDP after the party leadership dissolved the Kano State Executive Council and set up a caretaker committee dominated by supporters of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has just returned to the pary.

Shekarau has met with Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and was expected to meet with his supporters before formalising his return to the APC, four years after he left the party.

Shekarau yesterday left Abuja for Kano for consultations with his supporters and other stakeholders on his defection.

It was learnt that Shekarau and his supporters were unhappy that the PDP defied an order of the Federal High Court to dissolve the Kano Chapter of the party.

Also, out of the seven-man caretaker committee put in pace, Kwankwaso was allotted five sots and the remaining two were left for Shekarau and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Aminu Wali.

The Special Adviser on Media to the former governor, Dr. Sule Yau Sule, said Shekarau would meet with stakeholders yesterday or today.

“After meeting with the stakeholders, he will announce his plans either to defect to APC or otherwise.”

Yau described how PDP treated the ex-governor as an act of injustice.

He added: “We obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Kano stopping the PDP from dissolving the legally elected PDP Executive Council in the state. The party disregarded the order and went ahead to put in place a seven-man caretaker committee.

“Out of the seven members, five came from Kwankwaso’s camp and two were conceded to Shekarau and Amb. Wali. These two leaders were not allowed to even nominate who should be their representatives in the committee.

“To represent ex-Governor Shekarau, a former Chairman of Bebeji Local Government Area, Namadi Bebeji, was handpicked. He was once Shekarau’s supporter before he ported to Kwankwaso’s camp. He is politically no longer in Shekarau’s group. Bebeji even attended Kwankwaso’s declaration rally in Abuja.

“So, it is like Kwankwaso controlling the entire caretaker committee. Yet, the national secretariat of PDP does not see anything wrong with it.”

Sule added: “The defection of Shekarau to the APC is not yet official but there are moves to that effect. We are going to hold stakeholders meeting that will finally decide the next direction.

“My boss has met with Governor Ganduje in Abuja and they have discussed “.

The leadership of the PDP is making a last ditch effort to prevent Shekarau’s defection.

A statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan said: “The National Working Committee (NWC) assures that no stone will be left unturned in the overall quest to bring good governance to Kano state, while putting in place machinery to hedge the infiltration of fifth columnists into the party’s fold in the state.

“The party leadership further assures of its preparedness to engage with all stakeholders in Kano provided all matters in court against the party are withdrawn, as all members work together to build a united PDP that can confront and send out incompetent and insensitive people in governance in Kano state and Nigeria at large.

“Furthermore, the NWC urges all stakeholders to always emulate our members in Benue state in the way and manner they united to resolve all issues concerning party structures of their state”.