The defection of former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was prompted by offers made to him by the party’s presidential candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Dateline Nigeria has learnt.
Shekarau, now a Senator representing the Kano Central Senatorial District, was formally received back into the PDP on Monday at a well attended ceremony in Kano.
The event was attended by Atiku, his running mate and Governor of Delta State Ifeanyi Okowa, the national chairman of the PDP Iyorchia Ayu and other chieftains of the opposition party.
Shekarau was until his exit the Senatorial candidate of New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), a party he joined in May this year after dumping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He had in 2014 dumped the now defunct ANPP for the PDP, which he also left for the APC in 2018.
“When the relationship between Shekarau and the NNPP presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso soured, with the former accusing the latter of not accommodating his associates as agreed, Atiku took advantage of the crack and reached out to Shekarau,” credible sources close to the former vice president informed Dateline Nigeria in Abuja.
“Atiku made some offers to Shekarau, including making him the North West Zonal Coordinator of his presidential campaign, a very influential position which will handle critical logistics and other issues. The former governor was also promised the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) position if PDP wins the 2023 presidential election,” said one of the sources who requested not to be named.
Shekarau had, while delivering his speech in Kano on Monday, said “It is not office or position that we are interested in. It is our integrity, dignity and freedom that we are protecting.
“Our political ideology as a group is moved by our commitment to fairness and justice to all. Anywhere we move to and there is no fairness and justice, me and my supporters move along.
“I have since notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of my intention to dump the Senatorial candidacy under the NNPP and completed the due processes.
“We told you our reason since we established a 30-member committee of the Shura. They sat and came up with this decision we are announcing today” he said.
When contacted, the media adviser to the presidential candidate of PDP, Paul Ibe, said Atiku, no doubt, played a huge role in getting Shekarau back into the PDP fold, adding however that “it was a collective effort.”
The former vice president is very passionate about the development of Nigeria. He specifically commended Shekarau for sacrificing his senatorial ambition in the larger interest of a united and prosperous Nigeria. And we all know what he will be bringing on board.”
Ibe added that being a high value individual, “Shekarau will help the PDP in the North West, which comprises Kano and six other states. But I am not aware of any specific promises made to him with regards to any position on the campaign or in government.”
A spokesman for Shekarau, Sule Ya’u Sule did not respond to Dateline Nigeria’s request for comment.
