A new twist has developed in the politics of Kano State as a former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau, has dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. Mr Shekarau’s spokesperson, Ya’u Sule, disclosed the defection in an interview with the BBC Hausa on Tuesday. Although he did not disclose the new party his principal is moving to, there are already indications Mr Shekarau will return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he helped form in the build up to the 2015 election. Mr Sule said the decision of the former governor is connected with the recent dissolution of party executives in the state. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the National Working Committee of the PDP, last week Thursday, dissolved the Kano State Executive Committee of the party and constituted a caretaker committee to pilot its affairs. No reason was given for the dissolution, but it is believed to be connected to the recent defection of another ex-Kano governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to the...
President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday in Beijing said that as a beneficiary of free and fair elections, he is not afraid of a credible process in 2019. To this effect, the president reaffirmed his commitment to making sure that the 2019 polls, under his watch, will be free, fair and credible. Speaking at an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community in China, the president pledged that Nigerians eligible to vote in the next general elections will be allowed to freely elect candidates of their choice. ‘‘I have no fear about free and fair elections because that is what brought me to the present position. I know what I went through and very few Nigerians could boast of trying four times [contesting for the presidency]. ‘‘Those interested in participating in the elections must get their PVCs, register in their constituency and elect anybody of their choice across ethnicity and religion. ‘‘The Nigerian police, law enforcement agencies and...