•Six APC lawmakers set to join PDP
Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
The immediate past Deputy Governor of Kano State, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, and 10 of his aides, who resigned from Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration Tuesday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This is coming as six pro-Kwankwasiyya APC lawmakers in the state House of Assembly are set to defect to the PDP.
Abubakar, who announced his defection at a ceremony organised by the Kwankwasiyya loyalists held at Mambayya House in Kano, the state capital Tuesday, said he decided to defect to the PDP to toe the line of his godfather, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who defected to the PDP last week.
An immediate past Special Adviser attached to the Deputy Governor’s office at the state Government House, Hafiz Ahmed Bichi, who is among the 10 Senior Special Advisers (SSAs), who tendered their resignation letters on Monday, confirmed the development to journalists.
He attributed their actions to the unresolved dispute between the state Governor Ganduje and his predecessor, Kwankwaso, saying since their leader (Kwankwaso) had left the party for the PDP, they have no choice than to follow suit.
One of the former aides, Dr. Abdullahi Zubairu Chula , who addressed the press conference on behalf of his aggrieved colleagues, said their decision was informed by their desire to join their leader and former deputy governor.
Chula, who was the Special Adviser on Non-Governmental Organisation, said among those who also resigned were: Shamsu Aliyu Samanja (SSA on Public Affairs) and Alhaji Hafizu Bichi (Special Adviser attached to Deputy Governor’s office).
He also said: “We decided to resign because our leader, the Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar has also left the government.’’
Others are: Dr Bakari Ado Hussaina (Special Adviser on Education), Alhaji Nagoda (Special Adviser on Graveyard), Habibu Abubakar (Senior Special Assistant) and Idris Salisu Rogo (SSA attached to Deputy Governor’s office).
The rest are: Usman Kassim Bichi (Special Assistant to Deputy Governor on Education), Hafizu Alkali Jingau (PA at Deputy Governor’s office), Shamsu Kura (Special Adviser Media) and Rukayya Jibrin (Senior Special Assistant on Drug).
He said all the 10 aides had since forwarded their resignation letters to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
In a related development, six pro-Kwankwasiyya APC lawmakers in the state House of Assembly are expected to defect to the PDP, following the resignation of the deputy governor.
An immediate Special Adviser attached to the Deputy Governor’s Office at the state Government House, Hafiz Ahmed Bichi, who was among the 10 SSAs that have tendered their resignation letters on Monday, confirmed the development to reporters in Kano Tuesday.
