Former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, will announce his decision to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, today, following the crisis that rocked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.
It was reliably gathered Mr Shekarau had been in contact with vice president Yemi Osinbajo since the gale of defection struck across both ruling and opposition party.
Inside sources said the ruling party had made a number of promises to Mr Shekarau, including a ministerial slot, should he dump the PDP and join APC.
“You know Osinbajo was once Shekarau’s lawyer. Remember Shekarau gave him the all-important cases involving Kano State and Pfizer and another case of alleged foreign accounts.
“Osinbajo won case against the magazine that published the story of foreign accounts allegedly owned by Shekarau. Osinbajo also negotiated a settlement in favour of Kano State Government in the Pfizer case. So they struck a bond since then.
“Shekarau is a founding member of the APC and most of his political friends are the leaders of the party today.
“Among the promises made to him long ago, are a ministerial position and other appointments for his associates. What stopped him from considering the offer at that time was EFCC. While talks were at advanced stage, EFCC suddenly re-arraigned him for alleged money laundering.
“But I can assure you that Shekarau will return to APC today. All arrangements have been concluded,” said a source familiar with the development.
It is however not clear if EFCC will drop charges against him or discontinue with the case.
It was also gathered that Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has also been persuading Mr Shekarau to join the APC by regular payments of his entitlements as a former governor.
Although Shekarau had initially indicated no interest to leave the APC, recent developments that rendered him politically ineffectual in the party in Kano forced him to take the decision.
Mr Shekarau’s spokesman, Sule Yau Sule, disclosed on Tuesday morning that the decision would be taken today after stakeholders’ meeting with his associates.
“Mallam does not take decision without consultation, and I can assure you that critical decision would be taken today,” he said.
Mr Shekarau is apparently unhappy with the way PDP headquarters ceded control of the party at the state level to his political enemy, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Last week, the national headquarters of the party appointed a 7-man caretaker committee, following dissolution of the Mas’ud Doguwa-led EXCO of the party in the state.
Source: DAILY NIGERIAN