2027: Ex-Kano Governor Shekarau Set to Return to APC After Meeting with Tinubu
Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, is on the verge of making a political comeback to the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a series of high-level meetings with key political figures.
The move, if finalised, is expected to reshape political alignments in Kano ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources familiar with the development revealed that the former Minister of Education has concluded plans to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees.
His decision is said to be largely influenced by recent consultations with Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Abba Kabir Yusuf.
It was gathered that Shekarau held a private meeting with President Tinubu in Lagos during the Easter period. The meeting reportedly took place at the President’s instance and was coordinated by top APC figures.
Discussions are believed to have centred on strengthening the ruling party’s structure in Kano, a state widely regarded as a major political battleground.
In a related move, Governor Yusuf on Sunday paid a visit to Shekarau at his residence in Kano. He was accompanied by the APC State Chairman, Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa, and the Commissioner for Transportation, Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi. The visit is being interpreted in political circles as a deliberate effort to bring the former governor back into the APC fold.
The development comes shortly after Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso also met with Shekarau in an attempt to secure his support for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
While that effort did not yield the desired result, Kwankwaso was able to convince Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, a close ally of Shekarau and former Deputy Governor of Kano, to join the ADC after resigning his federal appointment.
Kano’s political landscape has witnessed rapid changes in recent months. The situation escalated in February when Governor Yusuf parted ways with Kwankwaso and defected from the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC. The move was seen as an attempt to consolidate control over his political structure amid internal disputes within the NNPP.
Kwankwaso himself recently exited the NNPP for the ADC, a decision many observers believe was driven by the need to rebuild his political base after losing influence in Kano.
Shekarau, who remains a key figure in the PDP’s Kabiru Taminu Turaki-led faction, had earlier defended Yusuf’s defection. He argued that political movement is not unusual, drawing parallels with Kwankwaso’s own past actions.
Speaking during a radio programme, Shekarau said: “When he (Kwankwaso) left the PDP for the APC, he took the governorship seat along with him. Why didn’t he surrender it to the PDP? In the same way, Abba can move the NNPP seat to the APC.”
The former governor was among the founding members of the APC but left the party after a leadership tussle with Kwankwaso over control of its structure in Kano. Although both men reconciled in 2022, their alliance later broke down due to disagreements over power sharing.
When contacted, Shekarau’s spokesperson, Associate Professor Sule Yau Sule, confirmed that the meetings with President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf took place. He explained that his principal is still consulting widely and will make his position known in due course.
