APC Welcomes Shekarau, Gwarzo, Promises Equal Opportunity for Returnees

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, and former Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo back into the party, assuring them of full integration and equal opportunities.

The state chairman of the party, Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the return of the political heavyweights would strengthen the party’s structure and consolidate its grassroots influence ahead of future elections.

Doguwa noted that the defection of the leaders to the ruling party would bring valuable experience, institutional memory, and political stability to the APC in Kano.

He assured the new entrants that under his leadership, the party would provide a level playing field for all members, allowing them to contribute meaningfully to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as well as the developmental vision for Kano State.

According to him, Senator Shekarau remains a respected political figure with strong credentials in policy formulation, education reform, and legislative oversight, stressing that his presence would help strengthen unity and issue-based politics across the state.

He added that Senator Gwarzo and Alhaji Yahaya Umar Bagobiri also possess strong grassroots support and administrative experience that would further deepen the party’s reach and acceptance among the people.

“Their move sends a clear signal to the electorate that the APC remains the most credible platform for development, security, and inclusion in Northern Nigeria. We call on all our supporters to give Senator Shekarau, Senator Gwarzo, and Alhaji Bagobiri a warm welcome as we work together to deliver good governance to the people of Kano State,” Doguwa said.

He described Shekarau as a seasoned educationist and administrator who rose from being a classroom teacher to Permanent Secretary in the Kano State Civil Service before voluntarily retiring in 2001.

Doguwa recalled that Shekarau made history as the first politician to serve two consecutive terms as governor of Kano State from 2003 to 2011 and later served as Minister of Education under former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2014 to 2015.

He also represented Kano Central Senatorial District in the Senate from 2019 to 2023 and was widely recognized for expanding access to education across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

On Senator Gwarzo, the APC chairman described him as one of Nigeria’s longest-serving lawmakers, having represented Kano North Senatorial District in the Senate from 1999 to 2015 across four consecutive National Assemblies.

He noted that Gwarzo also served as the PDP North-West Vice Chairman and maintained a formidable political network across the region.

Bagobiri, according to Doguwa, is a respected grassroots politician with over three decades of active involvement in party administration, having served in leadership positions across several political parties in Kano State.