Plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, former governor of Kano state, as its national chairman have thrown the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition into panic.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also shortlisted the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) for registration, raising the prospect of a new platform for opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
Before ADC was adopted as the coalition’s vehicle, Shekarau and Umar Ardo, promoters of the League of Northern Democrats, had argued for ADA’s registration to avoid leadership tussles and legitimacy crises.
Yau Sule Yau, however, clarified that Shekarau never joined the ADC coalition.
He said the former governor criticised the coalition process, stressing that while he supports political collaboration to improve governance, he remains a PDP member.
ADA is one of 14 associations that advanced to the next round of INEC’s screening process. Meanwhile, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, has adopted Shekarau as consensus national chairman ahead of the party’s convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo state.
The move has gained support from former president Goodluck Jonathan and Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, during a recent meeting in Abuja.
A mutual associate of Jonathan and Obi said the two leaders compared notes on the political build-up to 2027 and praised Mohammed’s efforts to stabilise the PDP and “wean it away from betrayals” that have plagued the party in recent years.
“The former president re-echoed his concerns about betrayals. He was not happy that some politicians derive pleasure in creating false narratives just to feather their political caps.
“He expressed relief that a former Kano state governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, is being approached to preside over the affairs of the PDP,” the source told Guardian.