Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), visited former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau on Wednesday. The visit was aimed at securing Shekarau's support for the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. Yilwatda described Shekarau as a sincere man and a decent politician, stating that his experience would be crucial to the party's success. He emphasized the importance of unity and inclusion within the party as it prepares for the upcoming electoral cycle. The meeting took place in Kano, though no further details were provided on the discussions or Shekarau's response. Yilwatda's outreach underscores the APC's efforts to consolidate political support in northern Nigeria, particularly in Kano State, a key electoral battleground. Shekarau, who served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, has remained an influential figure in Kano politics despite shifting party affiliations in recent years.
Nentawe Yilwatda's personal visit to Ibrahim Shekarau reveals the APC's growing anxiety over its foothold in Kano, a state where political loyalty is as fluid as it is fierce. That the national chairman had to travel to Kano to personally court a former governor who left the APC in 2018 speaks volumes about the party's internal fragility and the shrinking pool of reliable allies in the North. Shekarau's reputation as a moderate with a loyal following makes him a strategic catch, but his past defection and subsequent return suggest he is more than just a political prize—he is a barometer of northern discontent within the APC.
The timing of Yilwatda's appeal is not accidental. With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the APC is scrambling to rebuild its base in the North, where defections to the PDP and NNPP have weakened its dominance. Kano, in particular, has become a political war zone, with multiple factions vying for control. The fact that Yilwatda felt compelled to label Shekarau "sincere" and "decent" hints at deeper suspicions within the party about trust and loyalty. These aren't just endorsements—they are damage control.
For ordinary Kano residents, this political maneuvering means more promises and less policy. The focus on elite reconciliation sidelines urgent issues like unemployment, insecurity, and infrastructure decay. Farmers, traders, and youth in Kano are unlikely to see immediate benefits from Shekarau's potential return—what they will see is another round of political bargaining that rarely translates into tangible change.
This is not an isolated outreach but part of a broader pattern: the APC increasingly relies on rehiring former members instead of nurturing new leadership.
