Gaya loses Senate return ticket as NDC choses Ex-NARTO President

The lawmaker who represented Kano South in the 9th Senate, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, has lost his bid to go back to the red chamber under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Gaya, who recently defected to the NDC after his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had sought to return to the Senate.

He, however, lost the party ticket to former Chairman, National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alkasim Ibrahim Batayya.

Spokesperson II of Kwankwasiyya, Mansur Kurugu, confirmed that Batayya emerged through consensus held at the Miller Road Kano residence of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwanwaso, on Sunday.

“Kabiru Gaya has already accepted the decision and has promised to give his maximum support for Batayya to win the seat,” Kurugu added.

He said the consensus sitting will continue on Monday until all the seats are decided without necessarily going to primaries.

A video of Kabiru Gaya was also shared by Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, via a Facebook post, in which the former Senator was seen endorsing the decision.

The outcome represents a political setback for Gaya, who served in the Senate from 2015 to 2023 and governed Kano State during the Third Republic.

Batayya is now to battle with Kawu Sumaila, who defeated him in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and has since defected to the APC, where he clinched the 2027 ticket.

المصدر: Daily Trust (NG)