Senate primaries: Ex-Kano Deputy Governor steps down for incumbent

Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Gwarzo, the APC aspirant for the Kano North Senatorial District, has stepped down for the incumbent, Sen. Barau Jibrin.

Gwarzo, who was the Deputy Governor of the state between 2007 and 2011 during the second tenure of the then Gov. Ibrahim Shekarau, was contesting for the seat with Sen. Jibrin before he stepped down.

He announced the decision while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Tuesday.

He said the decision to withdraw from the contest followed the meeting held between him and the party stakeholders for the promotion of democracy in the state and the district in particular.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s son-in-law, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, in the just-concluded primary election.

The primary election that held at the Lugard Avenue, the personal residence of Kwankwaso, was conducted by the electoral committee constituted by the party’s National Working Committee headed by Ezeogu Onouha.

Onouha, while announcing the results on Tuesday, said the total number of accredited delegates in the election was 4, 130.

He said Yusuf scored 2, 421 votes to defeat Jafar Sani Bello who came second with 1, 258 votes, while Muhammad Sadiq Wali polled 167 votes and Salihu Sagir Takai got 95 votes.

Others in the race, Ibrahim El-Amin scored 51 votes and Akilu Sani Indabawa had 33 votes, while 105 voided votes were recorded.

In his remarks, Yusuf, who was also a Commissioner in the defunct Gov. Kwankwaso administration in the state, appealed to the other contestants to join hands with him to ensure the success of the party in the state.