Jigawa PDP governorship candidate’s visit to APC Senator fuels defection speculation

By Baba Aminu

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Jigawa governorship candidate for the 2023 general election, Dr Mustapha Sule Lamido, on Saturday visited Senator Danladi Abdullahi Sankara representing Jigawa North West Senatorial District at his residence in Abuja.

The governorship candidate was accompanied by the former governor of the state and the PDP senatorial candidate for Jigawa North West, Saminu Turaki, on Saturday on his second visit in barely two weeks.

Sankara, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, suddenly developed cold feet at attending APC activities in Jigawa and at the national level until it became clearer to party supporters that all was not well. He also snubbed APC political campaigns.

Speaking with DAILY POST in Abuja on Saturday, an aide confirmed he had a good rapport with the PDP candidate in the state but is unsure his principal would defect anytime soon.

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It was gathered that the lawmaker in the upper legislative chamber, who has remained mum since he lost a comeback at the APC primary election in May, was conspicuously absent at the APC campaign, which took place on Friday, December 16, 2022, in two local government areas, Malam Madori and Kaugama.

Moreso, the State Coordinator for San Turaki Media Team, Mansur Ahmed, confirmed to DAILY POST that the meeting at the Abuja residence of the lawmaker lasted over three hours behind closed doors.

On his verified Face page, Dr Mustapha Lamido said he joined the former governor of the state, Saminu Turaki, with Senator Danladi Sankara in a meeting he described as critical to the development of Jigawa State.

He wrote: “This evening, I joined the former governor of Jigawa State, Saminu Turaki and the Senator representing Jigawa North West, Danladi Abdullahi Sankara, in a critical meeting to discuss issues about election and development of the state.”

Sankara is among the 58 Senators who lost tickets of their political parties and would not return in 2023.