Barau woos sacked Kano SSG, aggrieved NNPP officials to APC

In what has been widely described as a deft move aimed at wooing aggrieved chieftains of the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the All Progressives Congress, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin has confirmed that a strategic meeting with the former Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi and other NNPP stalwarts held in his Abuja house and at his instance.

Arewa PUNCH reports that the meeting held amidst strong speculations of a possible decamptment to the APC by notable chieftains of the NNPP.

Aside Bichi, the other NNPP big wigs invited to the meeting included the former Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Muhammad Diggol, alongside other stakeholders.

Arewa PUNCH investigations revealed that among the major issues discussed were the issues affecting the unity, growth, and development of Kano State, plus the state of the nation.

Matters arising from the meeting, which took place at Barau’s residence in Abuja, was further disclosed later in the evening of the day by his spokesperson, Ismail Mudasir, on his official Facebook page.

Barau stated, “Today, I had a fruitful meeting with the former Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, the former Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Muhammad Diggol, and other stakeholders of our dear state at my residence in Abuja.

“We had fruitful discussions with them on the development of our dear state and the country. The development of our state and the country is always at the top of our agenda. We will continue to collaborate with other stakeholders to advance our state and the nation. Let’s do it together to better the lots of our people.”

Our correspondent reports further that the meeting held amid recent political tensions in Kano, particularly within the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Dr. Baffa Bichi and Muhammad Diggol were prominent figures in the Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration before their sudden removal.

Bichi, a key ally of the NNPP leader Rabiu Kwankwaso, was sacked as Secretary to the State Government in December 2023, while Diggol was also relieved of his position.

Their dismissals, which sparked controversy within the party, were widely seen as part of an internal power struggle between Kwankwaso’s loyalists and the state government.

Bichi’s role in the alleged Abba Tsaya Da Kafarka (Abba, Hold Your Ground) movement has further fuelled political speculations in Kano.

The movement, reportedly orchestrated by Bichi, was perceived as a campaign to challenge Governor Abba Yusuf’s leadership and assert greater influence over the state’s affairs.

The alleged rift between Bichi and key figures in the NNPP heightened tensions, leading to claims that he was working against the governor’s administration.

Barau’s engagement with the two former officials has already begun to further fuel speculations about potential political realignments in Kano ahead of the 2027 elections.

The meeting signals a possible shift in alliances, as the opposition forces continue to strategise ahead of the next political cycle in the state.