Kano LP governorship candidate, Bashir, defects to APC

The Kano governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Bashir Bashir, has abandoned his ambition to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

On January 21, the governorship candidate staged a boycott on the party’s presidential rally in Kano alongside the chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mohammed Zarewa; state coordinator of Peter Obi’s campaign, Balarabe Wakili and; a member of the presidential campaign council, Idris Dambazau.

A source close to the candidate confirmed the defection of Mr Bashir and other LP leaders to APC on Sunday, saying major reason for their defection is the exclusion of major Northern stakeholders in decision making process and lack of clear direction on the interest of Northern Nigeria.

Mr. Bashir had two meetings with the APC presidential candidate as well as the vice presidential candidate Kashim Shettima in Lagos and Abuja and agreed on the defection terms.

According to a source familiar with the decision, the LP candidate had endorsed the APC presidential candidate and promised to mobilise his supporters for him.