Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has stepped up efforts to persuade former governor Ibrahim Shekarau to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid shifting political alliances in the state.

The move follows recent defections that have altered Kano’s political landscape, including Yusuf’s exit from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC.

Similarly, NNPP leader Rabiu Kwankwaso has joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while former APC governorship candidate Nasir Gawuna also defected to the ADC.

Sources indicated that Yusuf recently met with Shekarau in Abuja as part of consultations aimed at convincing him to rejoin the APC. The meeting was reportedly attended by the Kano APC Chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa.

The governor’s outreach comes shortly after Shekarau signalled the possibility of leaving the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), though he ruled out joining the ADC.

Shekarau, a former Minister of Education and two-term governor, remains an influential figure in Kano politics and is widely regarded as a potential key player in the state’s evolving political dynamics.

While he has yet to make a public declaration on his next move, sources said discussions are ongoing and could determine his eventual political alignment.

Meanwhile, Yusuf has also warned that the ADC would not succeed in the state, as he intensifies efforts to consolidate support ahead of the 2027 elections.