President Bola Tinubu meets with two Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) chieftains, Rufai Hanga and Kabiru Gaya, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Sunday, according to multiple reports. The meetings are led to Tinubu by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who heads the delegations.
The outlets say Hanga and Gaya are from Kano State and are reportedly preparing to formally defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) next week. The reports link the move to earlier political developments within the NDC: Rufai Hanga is described as having lost the NDC nomination for the Kano Central senatorial ticket and the deputy governorship slot, while Kabiru Gaya is said to have contested an NDC senatorial seat in Kano South but lost after a consensus candidate emerged from the camp associated with Rabiu Kwankwaso.
One report also notes that the APC national chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, met with the two figures earlier, suggesting their political realignment is being coordinated ahead of the announced defection timeline.
