Former APGA scribe Shinkafi joins APC Nat’l Chairmanship Race

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja 

The former National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Dr Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi has indicated his interest to contest for the National Chairmanship of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement at the weekend in Abuja Shinkafi stated that he has been under pressure from political associates and friends to run for the APC plumb job.

According to the statement tagged “Notification Of My Intention To Contest For The Office Of The National Chairman of Our Great Party All Progressives Congress (APC)” Shinkafi said that “after wide consultations and discussions with my family, friends and political associates I have decided to heed the call to contest for the office of the National Chairman of our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“With my wide experience as the immediate past National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the immediate past Secretary of the Board of Trustees of APGA I believe that I have what it takes to run the affairs of the APC. I would want to continue with the great job done by the Acting National Chairman His Excellency Malam Mai Bunu in re-organizing and making the party the greatest party in Nigeria.”

Shinkafi declared that “If elected I will ensure that the values that birthed the party in 2014 are preserved. I would also ensure that the era of impunity and imposition of candidates against the will of the party’s teaming followers is gone, and this is the time to make hard and only decision that will serve in the interest of the general members even at the least level must be the only way out.”

He noted that “In its bid to retain power in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria in 2023, there is urgent need for the party to look beyond personal interest to set its house in order by first of all ensuring that only a credible hand is ushered in to lead the party as the next National Chairman.

“The party came with sound policies and programmes that would have salvaged the country but the party’s dream was shortlived  because the forces that are not progressives joined the party through the backdoors only to win elections. The internal functions and ranglings within the ruling party made it to loss elections in Bauchi, Adamawa, Edo and Zamfara states among others apart from many legislative seats both at the states and National Assembly levels that were dashed away as results of poor handling of the party’s 2018 primaries” he added.

Shinkafi pointed out that “the party currently needs a leader who commands respect among his contemporaries, a man whose mind is bounded by reconciliatory traits and a young and energetic man who is determined to pay a price for APC to survive against his personal interest. it will never be a plea bargain where personal interest supersede personal interest.

“The emergence of the ruling party from many political parties and subsequent defections at the aftermath of 2015 elections has been identified as some of the reasons why the party failed to implement its initial manifesto to get Nigeria on the right track again. The APC has very sound policies and programmes that are practicable, aimed at changing the fortunes of Nigerians and can only be sustained if an individual who shared the party’s traits are allowed to lead as the National Chairman.

Dr Shinkafi was born on 20th February, 1970 in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, he attended the township Shinkafi, and later went to the Government Secondary School Gwadabawa where he obtained the West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate in 1988, he later proceeded to Polytechnic of Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, from 1988 to 1991 where he obtained the National Diploma in Business Administration and the Plateau School of Accountancy and Management Sciences Studies from 1995 to 1999, where he was awarded the Higher National Diploma in Accounting. From 2006 to 2007 he was at the Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto where he bagged the Post Graduate Diploma in Education. In 2016 he attended the Nassarawa State University Keffi where he bagged a Masters Degree in Public Sector Accounting( Public Financial Management).

A holder of numerous Chieftaincy titles, Shinkafi is presently the Chairman Anti-Illegal Mining Committee as well as cabinet member of Dr. Bello Muhammad Governor Zamfara State.

He is expected to formally declare his intention to lead the ruling party next week.