Kano State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, is set to formally defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Bichi plans to jump ship a few days after Abba Kabiru Yusuf, the PDP governorship candidate lost his appeal at the Supreme Court.
The apex court on Monday affirmed the election of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Delivering judgment, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, explained that Yusuf’s appeals were dismissed for lack of merit.
He added that the grounds of the appeals were blanket in law, unproved and could not accommodate all infractions of the electoral process.
On Wednesday, DAILY POST got information about Bichi impending defection.
Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, was said to have reached out to Bichi to join the APC.
The duo are not just from Bichi Local Government Area of Kano, they are from Bichi village and are in fact, distant relatives.
Our correspondent was informed that Bichi had it all mapped out even before Ganduje’s triumph and that he tactically stayed in PDP to wait for the verdict.
On Wednesday, an impeccable source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party was already aware of the (ex)chairman’s strategy.
He said: “Had it been we won at the Supreme Court, we would not take him seriously. Bichi was invited by the DG DSS (to decamp). According to sources, Bichi even met with President Buhari on the defection. So they referred him to Governor Ganduje to work with him.
“But it is sad that this is how he would repay his benefactor (former Kano Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso). Let me tell you, this is a man that was a civil servant in 1999.
“After Kwankwaso won his election, Bichi travelled to Kano to congratulate him. On arrival, Kwankwaso asked him to bring his CV. A week after, he was appointed Managing Director of the State Urban Development Authority.
“Two years later, Bichi was promoted to the post of the Commissioner for Lands and Survey.
“After Kwankwaso lost his re-election bid in 2003, he was appointed Minister (of Defence under the Obasanjo government) and given some slots to compensate for his boys.
“Kwankwaso nominated same Bichi, who was named the Managing Director of Urban Development Bank of Nigeria.
“Thereafter, Kwankwaso won another term as Kano governor in 2011. He appointed Bichi as the Secretary to the State Government and after his second tenure, he recommended Bichi to his successor (Ganduje) for the same post of SSG.
“A year into his government, Ganduje sacked him. Few months after, Bichi was attacked at the annual Kano Durbar by thugs loyal to the administration. He was unconscious, taken to the hospital where he recuperated.
“Afterwards, Kwankwaso gave him the party chairmanship position. Bichi was given the opportunity to bring in his in-law and younger brother for elective positions. Both got PDP tickets for the 2019 election freely. His brother was flagbearer for Bichi federal constituency.
“This is politics for you .It is a very bitter lesson but that is life.”
In a chat with DAILY POST, Kano PDP Secretary, Shehu Sagagi, confirmed that Bichi was on his way out of the party.
He recalled that they had the discussion twice within the last 48 hours. He, however, added that Bichi was yet to officially resign.
“All I know is that he has indicated his intention to defect to the APC. He has intimated a few of us including myself. But he has not made it official.
“To me, it is not a rumour because he intimated me privately. But for now, we have not received any formal resignation letter from him”, Sagagi stressed.
After PDP’s loss at the Supreme Court, Bichi said the party had accepted the judgment in good faith.
“We are grateful to Almighty God for the current situation. As you know, we were at the High Court where the decision was not in our favor and we went for appeal, there too it was not in our favor.
“We then exploited the final option and went to the Supreme Court. We have accepted the final judgement and we will forge ahead to move our party forward.”
“My call to our supporters is for them to remain calm over the recent development. Let’s put hands together to move our party forward”, the former SSG appealed.
