Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has described the recent formation of a new political party by two former governors of the state as “political nomadism,” which will cost both of them in the 2023 elections and beyond.
Recall that Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, the former governor of the state, recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), where he joined forces with his predecessor/successor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who had earlier defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, speaking on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout on Sunday, Ganduje insisted that the APC’s chances in the state remained strong despite a recent wave of defections.
He stated that since Kwankwaso and Shekarau began changing political parties in 2014, both have been losing followers with every move they make, and that their collaboration now will not harm the APC in Kano or Nigeria in general.
Read Also: Breaking: Workers block NASS gate over minimum wage, others join them
“There is no doubt that the two former governors are important politicians, but when you change parties in politics, you tend to lose supporters at certain levels.” We were in the PDP together and moved to the APC, where we lost some followers, then he moved to the PDP, where he also lost some followers, and now to a new party, the NNPP, where he has also lost some followers. The same thing happened with Shekarau, who was in the ANPP before joining the PDP, then the APC, and now the NNPP.
“You can see that when people go on political nomadism, they tend to lose some followers along the way.” So, despite the fact that the two (of them) have joined forces, I believe we (APC) are formidable enough to win the election,” he said. “There is no doubt they are respected politicians, and we respect each other.”
On efforts to keep Shekarau in the party, Ganduje stated that almost all of the former governor’s requests were met, but it was clear that he had made up his mind to leave the APC, wondering why Shekarau did not receive any of the things he requested from the APC at the NNPP aside from his senatorial ticket.
He also claimed that Kwankwaso’s new party will have no impact on national politics, claiming that the former governor has failed several times nationally, most recently in the 2019 election when he “worked” for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Ganduje claimed that the PDP was unable to win the state or even his local government.
In response, Shekarau’s spokesman, Dr. Sule Ya’u Sule, stated that the entire world will be watching what happens in 2023. “We’ll see what happens in 2023.” “We’ll see whether his (Ganduje’s) prediction comes true or not,” he added.
Sanusi Bature, the Coordinator of Kwankwasiyya Media Centre, also reacted, saying the governor is still “painfully” reacting to losing one of Kano politics’ two gladiators as well as his Chief of Staff to the NNPP, but that with both gladiators (Kwankwaso and Shekarau) now teaming up, Kano citizens now have the option to choose, and the choice will be seen by all in 2023.
“The two political pillars (of Kano) are Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, and both are working together for Kano’s common good,” he added.
