The newly appointed Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, has stated that he is working to bring Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, Rep. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, and other disgruntled members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) back into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sumaila, who represents Kano South, and Rurum, a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly and representative of the Kibiya, Rano, and Bunkure federal constituency, both left the APC to join the NNPP ahead of the 2023 general elections. They cited the alleged marginalisation of Kano South in the party’s selection of its governorship candidate as their reason for leaving.
Alongside Aliyu Sani Madakin-Gini, the Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives and member for Dala federal constituency, both Sumaila and Rurum have been involved in the ongoing crisis within the NNPP.
Speaking with BBC Hausa, Ata explained that his appointment was aimed at addressing the party’s challenges in Kano, stating, “When you are given an appointment in government, if you do not know the job, it becomes difficult to deliver. That is why it is important to give to those who suffered for the party, and that’s why the supporters are also happy.”
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He expressed optimism about APC’s prospects in the state, noting changes since the new government took office. “Before, red caps were everywhere, but now it has drastically reduced. Time will tell, but we are strategising to win the election,” he said.
Ata, who hails from Kano Central, emphasised the importance of balancing the party’s efforts across the region, stating that the northern Kano area, which includes figures like Ganduje, Abba Bichi, Murtala, and T. Gwarzo, was the only area where the APC won elections.
“We are bringing in people like Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, Kawu Sumaila, and Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa to help strengthen our efforts,” Ata added.
Kofa, a representative of the Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency, also left the APC for the NNPP during the build-up to the 2023 elections.
Daily Trust reports that Ata earlier revealed that his appointment was politically motivated and that his primary focus is to deliver Kano for the APC in the 2027 elections.
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