KANO: Ganduje’s former deputy leads other Kwankwaso loyalists back to APC

A former Kano State deputy governor to Abdullahi Ganduje, Hafizu Abubakar, who resigned and defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has returned to the party.

Abubakar, a former ally of the ex-Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, left the ruling party in August, resigning his position as deputy to Ganduje.

After leaving the APC, he joined Kwankwaso in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but later defected to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) after failing to get the PDP governorship ticket in Kano.

Abubakar’s return to the APC was confirmed by the presidency.

Garba Shehu, the spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, said the president had a meeting with Abubakar and other former Kwankwaso loyalists.

Shehu, in a statement, said the meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja.

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He said the president appealed to stakeholders in the APC all over the country to work for genuine reconciliation “for the benefit of our people and our nation.”

In welcoming the party leaders back to the APC, Buhari said the house was large enough to accommodate everyone and promised to speak to the leadership of the party and government in Kano to accommodate and work with the returnees.

“In addition to Professor Hafiz, a staunch ally of Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso who resigned as Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s Deputy, the other returnees include a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Architect Aminu Dabo; the immediate past National Treasurer, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa; Security Adviser to Kwankwaso, General Danjuma Dambazau (rtd); Engineer Mu’azu Magaji, all of them staunch members of the Kwankwasiyya as well as Senator Isa Zarewa who left in protest against the last primaries.

“They were led to the President by the Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru,” Shehu said.

Responding to the presidential directive, Governor Ganduje reportedly welcomed the return of the party stalwarts and assured the president that he was ready to work with everyone to record yet another historic victory in the general elections.

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