Shekarau, a presidential aspirant with the PDP, announced his defection after a meeting with the APC's national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and incumbent Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje,

While hosting Oshiomhole, Ganduje and other top party officials at his residence at Mundubawa Avenue, Kano, the former governor expressed his delight at the "friendly and political visit".

"It is history that is repeating itself here. I have a singular honour of being the chief midwife of the APC," he said.

Explaining why he defected, Shekarau said he's concerned about the political situation in Nigeria ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Shekarau's defection had been expected since his media aide, Sule Ya'u Sule, disclosed earlier this week that the former governor had already met with Governor Ganduje, and would soon make his defection public.

He noted that Shekarau's defection was caused by the actions of the PDP's national leadership who he accused of favouring another former Kano governor and presidential aspirant, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He had said, "I want confirm to you that Shekarau has decided to defect from PDP to APC due to the injustice meted on him and his supporters by the PDP leadership.

"My boss has met with Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Abuja yesterday and concluded plans for our return to APC. He will meet with all the stakeholders concerned in Kano and then make his decamping public."

Shekarau had initially dumped then-opposition party, APC, in 2014, for the PDP, saying his decision was to satisfy the aspirations of the people of the state who felt left out from the APC.

Shekarau was one in a long list of aspirants contesting for the presidential ticket of the PDP. It's unclear if he'll still go on and challenge President Muhammadu Buhari for the ticket of the APC ahead of the 2019 presidential election, but it's unlikely.