Shekarau dumps PDP again, returns to APC amid fresh political realignment

Former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has once again switched political camps, resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defection, announced on Sunday at his residence in Kano, marks yet another chapter in the veteran politician’s long history of party movements, underscoring shifting alliances ahead of future electoral contests.

Shekarau, who governed Kano between 2003 and 2011 under the now-defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), first joined the APC in 2014 following the merger that created the ruling party. However, his relationship with the APC has been anything but stable.

In 2018, he exited the APC for the PDP, only to return to the APC shortly after. By May 2022, internal disagreements, particularly a leadership tussle involving former Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje, pushed him out again, this time to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

That move proved short-lived. Just months later, in August 2022, Shekarau defected back to the PDP, where he remained until his latest switch.

His return to the APC signals renewed alignment with the ruling party at a time when political actors are quietly repositioning ahead of the 2027 elections. While Shekarau did not outline detailed reasons for his decision, the move is likely to reshape political calculations in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most influential electoral states.

Known for his grassroots appeal and enduring political relevance, Shekarau’s frequent defections highlight both his strategic adaptability and the fluid nature of party loyalty in Nigeria’s political landscape.

With this latest move, attention will now turn to how his influence within Kano politics, and the broader northern power bloc, could impact future alignments within the APC and beyond.

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