Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
Hadi Sirika, former Minister of Aviation, has announced his intention to contest for the Katsina North Senatorial District seat in the 2027 general elections.
Sirika made the declaration on Friday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Katsina, saying supporters and political associates persuaded him to return to the race.
The former minister previously represented Katsina North in the Senate before serving in the cabinet of former President Muhammadu Buhari as aviation minister.
His declaration comes while he is standing trial in Abuja over allegations brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC is prosecuting Sirika alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika, her husband Jalal Hamma, and a company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, on six counts linked to alleged contract fraud totaling about N2.8 billion. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.
According to court filings cited in recent proceedings, prosecutors allege that Sirika abused his office by awarding aviation ministry contracts to a company linked to his daughter and son-in-law while he supervised the ministry. One of the contracts mentioned in the case is the Katsina Airport Apron Extension project reportedly valued at about N1.5 billion.
The EFCC also alleges that about N1.3 billion was traced to Sirika as proceeds of gratification connected to the contracts.
In a recent development, the Federal Capital Territory High Court rejected some statements the prosecution sought to tender as evidence from two co-defendants, ruling they were inadmissible due to non-compliance with legal procedure. The trial was adjourned to continue later.
Sirika has not been convicted, and the charges remain before the court.
His entry into the Katsina North senate contest signals the start of early political positioning ahead of the 2027 elections.
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