Tinubu loses campaign DG to Kwankwaso’s NNPP

Shekarau, Other Lawmakers Join New Party

The Director General of Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has joined the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). The former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, few days ago, announced on his social media handle of his decision to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to irreconcilable differences in the party.

Although, he was silent on his next political move, his defection to NNPP may have dealt a major blow on Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

Attempts to inquire from Jibrin, who represented Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency of Kano, why he ignored Tinubu’s intervention in his brawl with some APC chiefs were not successful, as he did not respond to calls and text messages.

However, a close associate of Jibrin, told The Guardian that Jibrin, yesterday, met with the leadership of NNPP to renew support for the Rabiu Kwankwaso-led party.

Kano APC Secretary, Alh. Zakari Sarina, revealed that Jibrin, who had demanded automatic ticket to return to the green chamber, was disappointed with the party’s position on the matter.

He said: “Jibrin decided to leave after the stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday. He demanded automatic ticket to represent his constituency, but the position of the party is not in tandem with his demand. The party made it emphatic that it will be fair and honest to every aspirant. The incumbent is contesting; former commissioner for education is also contesting.

“How do we disenfranchise those equally important aspirants and return automatic ticket to Jibrin? That will not be just on the part of the party. So, if on that basis, Jibrin has decided to leave our party, we are glad about it and we wish him good luck.”

Meanwhile, the gale of defection in Kano APC continued yesterday, with the House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Zubairu Massu, and former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Legislative Affairs Abdulrahman Sumaila, announced their defection.

Before the deputy speaker’s defection, 13 PDP members had tendered their defection notice to join NNPP. In a letter to the APC Chairman dated May 12, 2022, Massu cited unjust treatment, inadequate internal democracy and total marginalisation of Kano South from the power scheme in the state.

Although, Sumaila did not issue any formal complaint and reason for leaving APC, the former minority leader of House of Representatives mobilised APC members and loyalists to denounce APC.

Senator Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano Central) may formally announce his defection from the APC this weekend, The Guardian reliably gathered.
It was gathered that Shekarau’s decision to dump APC was arrived at the stakeholders’ consultative meeting early this week.