JUST IN: Kwankwaso visits Shekarau in Abuja (Photos)
NEWS DIGEST – The twist in Kano politics has taken a new turn on Saturday night as two formers governors of the state and erstwhile political opponents, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Ibrahim Shekarau, sheathed the sword and buried the hatchet towards the success of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the state and national level in 2019 elections.
This is the first formal meeting the duo held in 15 years when Mr Kwankwaso paid a congratulatory visit to Mr Shekarau for defeating him in the 2003 governorship election.
Credible sources said the brief meeting, which was prelude to an extended meeting with other party leaders, took place at Mr Shekarau’s Asokoro residence on Saturday night.
Although the two Kano political giants held the meeting in closed-door, excited Mr Shekarau was heard saying there was “no hard feelings, and I don’t bear any grudge”, at the end of the meeting.
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In reply, Mr Kwankwaso also said he did not bear malice against him, assuring him of his commitment and collaboration towards the success of the party.
Following Mr Kwankwaso’s defection to PDP last week, the senator has been extending olive branch to politicians in the PDP towards realigning the party structure at the state level.
DAILY NIGERIAN reliably gathered that the party leaders at the national level have favoured Mr Kwankwaso to have 51 percent stake in the party structure, having joined the party alongside nine members of the House of Representatives.
“The party leaders know the political weight of the senator. Aside his being a serving senator, he currently has a serving deputy governor, nine serving Reps and six serving members of the House of Assembly in his political kitty.
“Essentially, he is the most powerful force in the state today. This is what the party at the national level considered to cede the control to him,” said a source familiar with the equations.
