The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano has welcome former Governor Mal. Ibrahim Shekarau and Senator Bello Ayatullah Gwarzo back to the party with assurance of their full integration.

The party Chairman Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa in a message on Sunday believed the defection of the leaders to APC will consolidates experience, institutional memory, and grassroots structures of the party ahead of future elections.

Doguwa maintained that APC under his stewardship will guarantee new members of a level playing field and the opportunity to contribute their quota to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the progressive transformative Kano First Agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The Party Chairman said Mal. Shekarau brings a proven capacity for policy formulation, education reform, and legislative oversight added that the elder statesmen command respect across party lines and will serve as stabilizers in Kano’s political landscape, fostering unity and issue-based politics.

“Their move also sends a clear signal to the electorate that the APC remains the most credible platform for development, security, and inclusion in Northern Nigeria. We call on all our teeming supporters to give Senator Shekarau, Senator Gwarzo, and Alhaji Bagobiri a rousing welcome as we work together to deliver good governance to the people of Kano State”.

“Senator Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau,CON, Sardaunan Kano is a career educationist and civil servant who rose from a classroom teacher to Permanent Secretary in the Kano State Civil Service before retiring voluntarily in 2001. He made history as the first politician to serve two consecutive terms as Governor of Kano State from 2003 to 2011.

“He later served as Minister of Education from 2014 to 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan, and represented Kano Central Senatorial District in the Senate from 2019 to 2023. As governor, he was widely recognized for expanding access to education at primary,secondary, and tertiary levels. He holds the revered traditional title of Sardaunan Kano.

“Distinguished Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo is one of Nigeria’s longest-serving legislators, having represented Kano North Senatorial District from 1999 to 2015 across the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th National Assemblies. Until recently, he served as the PDP North-West Vice Chairman, elected in May 2022, and he maintains a formidable grassroots network across Kano North.

“Alhaji Yahaya Umar Bagobiri is a highly influential and well-respected grassroots politician with over three decades of active party administration. He served as Secretary and later Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nassarawa Local Government Area from 1990 to 1993.

” He was also Assistant Secretary of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), between Kano State Chapter between 1996 and 1998, and served as Deputy Chairman of the PDP in Kano State between 2013 and 2015.”; APC Chairman said.