The defection of former Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) means that President Muhammadu Buhari has gained some traction in his Kano stronghold.

Rabiu Kwankwaso and Shekarau, two former governors of the state, had been in the PDP with both initially gunning for the presidential ticket of the party. Their prominence in the PDP and popularity in the swing state, Kano, meant that Buhari would have a mountain to climb getting the block votes from Kano.

However, with his defection, the coast seems clear for President Buhari to take majority vote in the state in spite of the popularity of Kwankwaso.

Shekarau made a declaration of his defection on Saturday in Kano while addressing his followers who converged on his personal residence at Mundubawa quarters in Kano metropolis. He initially denied the rumour of his defection but only to confirm it on Saturday in what is now a deadly blow to the opposition PDP.

He said that his decision to leave PDP was necessitated by the failure of the National leadership to resolve the lingering crisis which bedevilled the party following the illegal dissolution of the state executive committee.

He explained that the leadership had violated the party constitution by dissolving the state executive committee without giving any cogent reason.

Shekarau added that as a result of the injustice by the PDP and after series of meetings with stakeholders he decided to dump PDP without any formal conditions attached.

“Weighing the available three options, that is either to remain where we are, retire from politics or defect to another party.

“So finally I Ibrahim Shekarau, Sardaunan Kano and my followers have resolved to defect to All Progressives Congress (APC) from today, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018,’’ he said.

According to him, the dissolution of the Kano State Executive Committee of the PDP and subsequent setting up of a seven-member Caretaker committee is against the constitution of the PDP.

“We have tried our best to ensure amicable resolution of the lingering crisis between our side and Kwankwaso side on the sharing of party positions at the state, local government and ward levels but it failed,” he said.

Shekarau said he had no option than to leave PDP because of the inability of its national leadership to respect the earlier court order restraining it from taking the action it took.

NAN reports that the Deputy state chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ibrahim KT and secretary, Alhaji Auwalu Danzabuwa as well as gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the party also defected to APC at the occasion.