Shekarau, a sitting Senator was in NNPP and was nominated to vie for the senatorial position under its platform.

However, before the election, he announced his defection from the NNPP and abandoned his Senatorial ambition to join PDP.

But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) later insisted that it still recognizes him as the legitimate NNPP candidate, even though the party replaced him with another candidate, Rufa’i Sani Hanga.

Shekarau, who is going to the red chamber for the second time was declared by the returning officer of the Senatorial district, Professor Tijjani Hassan Darma.

According to INEC, Shekarau polled 456,787 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Alhaji Abdulkarim Abdussalam Zaura, who polled 168, 677 votes.