By Ghazali Ibrahim
The political landscape in Kano State has shifted further in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the defection of former governor Ibrahim Shekarau from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Shekarau, a former two-term governor of Kano and ex-Minister of Education, formally announced his resignation from the PDP in a letter dated April 19, 2026, addressed to his ward chairman in Giginyu, Nassarawa Local Government Area.
“Accept this letter as notice of my resignation… with effect from today,” he wrote, confirming his immediate exit from the opposition party.
The former governor said his decision followed extensive consultations with his political group, known as the Shura council, stressing that the move was a collective one aimed at pursuing their political future elsewhere.
Shortly after his resignation, Shekarau aligned with the APC, effectively boosting the ruling party’s strength in Kano ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also called on his supporters to resign from the PDP in their respective wards and begin the process of registering with the APC, signalling a coordinated political movement.
The defection comes amid deepening internal crises within the PDP, which Shekarau had earlier described as weakening the party’s effectiveness.
His move follows a recent visit by APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, who openly invited Shekarau and other PDP leaders to join the ruling party, an appeal that now appears to have yielded results.
Shekarau, a founding member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), served as governor of Kano from 2003 to 2011 and has remained a key political figure in the state, having switched between major parties over the years.
His latest defection is seen as a significant boost for the APC in Kano, a politically strategic state, while dealing another setback to the PDP as it continues to grapple with internal divisions and loss of key members.
