All Progressives Congress (APC) member of the House of Representatives from Katsina State, Shehu Tafoki, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after failing to get a consensus ticket for the 2027 general election.

Meanwhile, the race for the Kano Central Senatorial District took a new twist as seven aspirants seeking the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket resolved to forgo their ambitions in support of former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau.

But in Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni declared that the party was prepared for a free, fair and transparent primary for its governorship aspirants, if ongoing consultations fail to produce a consensus candidate.

Tafoki, representing Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa, also purchased the PDP nomination and expression of interest forms, according to his legislative aide, Ahmad Bawa.

The former deputy speaker at the Katsina State House of Assembly met with the PDP leader in the state, Yakubu Lado, and presented his forms “for blessing” at the weekend.

APC in Katsina had decided to choose its candidates for the 2027 general elections by consensus. It formed a consensus committee headed by former Governor Aminu Masari.

Also, the party’s central zonal youth leader, Ismail Yandaki, left the party for PDP after he failed to get a ticket to represent Kaita in the House of Assembly. Surajo Abduljabbar, who sought the APC consensus ticket to contest the Bakori/Danja seat, toed the same line.

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, had on Saturday warned APC that the credibility of its governorship primaries in Gombe State would determine not only the party’s internal strength but also public confidence in democracy.

THE major alignment in Kano that produced Shekarau as the APC consensus candidate came in the absence of Abdulsalam Zaura, a major contender in the race.

Those said to have sacrificed their political ambitions to support Shekarau are Usman Bala, former Chief of Staff to Abdullahi Ganduje; Shaaban Sharada, former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari; Danyaro Yakasai; Abbas Sani Abbas, former commissioner under Ganduje; Abdulfatah Zango, a retired NNPC staff member; and Shehu Isa’s driver.

It was gathered that the resolution in favour of Shekarau was reached after a high-level reconciliation meeting convened by Governor Abba Yusuf in Abuja.

Speaking with The Guardian on the outcome of the meeting, Usman Bala, one of the aspirants, revealed that the contenders decided to step down for Shekarau following the intervention of Governor Yusuf, who sought mutual understanding and unity within the party.

BUNI noted that though former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baba Wali, emerged the preferred candidate following the resolutions reached at a stakeholders’ meeting held last April 23, the party has not foreclosed the option of direct primaries.

The governor’s spokesman, Mamman Mohammed, in a statement issued in Damaturu, quoted his principal as saying that “consensus remains the party’s preferred approach”, but democratic principles would prevail if there was no broad agreement among stakeholders and aspirants.

“The emergence of Wali as the preferred candidate followed the resolutions of the critical stakeholders’ meeting of April 23, 2026. He was endorsed and adopted as the preferred candidate, but if there is no general agreement, we shall adopt the election mode,” Buni stated.

The governor stressed that maintaining peace and cohesion within the party remained paramount, describing unity as critical to the APC’s chances in the 2027 polls.