Buba Galadima Reacts To Shekarau’s Defection To PDP

A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has reacted to the defection of the former Governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, from the party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Naija News recalls that the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and other party leaders welcomed Shekarau back to the party in Kano State on Monday.

Shekarau defected along with thousands of his fans and supporters after accusing the NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, of betrayal and breach of trust.

The former Minister of Education was also presented with his PDP membership card at the ceremony on Monday.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday, Galadima said the defection of the former Kano governor to the PDP was a blessing to the NNPP.

He said that most people anticipated Shekarau was going to dump the party, saying that the claim that he was betrayed was wrong.

Galadima maintained that 90 percent of the loyalists of the former governor are still with the NNPP and will not be defecting along with him. He added that there’s no candidate who has up to half of the support that Senator Kwankwaso has in the North.

He said: “We saw this coming. And what I fear for Mallam Shekarau is he has spoilt his dance with a jump. Because of what most people anticipated he was going to do, he didn’t disappoint them.

“Any party he joins, he’ll say injustice has been done to him, then he leaves. I assure you that with him leaving our party, 90 percent of his loyalists won’t join him, they’ll remain in NNPP.

“As of today, in Nigeria, there’s no candidate who has up to half of the support that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has in the North.

“With the difference of one vote, a candidate can become President of Nigeria. Shekarau has more than one vote, we didn’t wish for his departure but now that he has gone, it may be a blessing to us because if we establish a government, there will be dispute with him when it comes to giving appointments.

“His position that is now vacant, we will write to INEC. He also wrote to them so that we’ll be given permission to produce a new candidate.”