By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday after less than two years in office, in a term characterised by policy U-turns and deep public unpopularity.

“Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” Starmer said as he choked up in an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street.

Starmer said the process of picking a new leader for the centre-left party would be launched in July, and he would remain as prime minister until his successor is chosen, to be in place before parliament returns from the summer recess in September.

Starmer’s main rival, veteran politician Andy Burnham, is due to be sworn in as a member of parliament on Monday after winning a crucial special election on Thursday, allowing him to return to parliament and clearing his path to run for party leader.

“I will remain in post as prime minister until the contest is complete, and I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” Starmer added.

Until the weekend, Starmer had insisted he was going to fight on and remain as prime minister as he fought off challenges and calls to step down.

He has clung to that position for months after multiple scandals and high-profile resignations that piled the pressure on him and his Labour Party.

But Britain is now set to get its seventh prime minister in a decade.

Starmer’s widely anticipated announcement comes a day before the 10-year anniversary of the Brexit referendum, which triggered the UK’s exit from the European Union and an unprecedented churn of prime ministers.

Starmer has been credited with reshaping Labour into an election-winning party, which clinched a decisive victory in 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.

But his term was derailed by missteps ranging from benefit cuts to criticism over defence spending plans.

He was nearly ousted in March over his ill-fated decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a known associate of the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.

He has also struggled to fight off the rapid rise of the far-right, anti-immigration Reform UK party — which defeated Labour in local elections in May, further weakening Starmer’s position.

“I will also give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago,” Starmer said in his resignation speech.

The Chairman of the PRP Northwest Stakeholders Forum, Abdulkadir Musa Guza, has accused Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of attempting to take control of the nomination tickets of several political parties ahead of 2027 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Kano, Guza alleged that nomination forms for all 69 elective positions under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) had been purchased by an individual who is not a member of the party.

He claimed that similar actions had also been carried out in more than seven other political parties, describing the development as a threat to democratic practice and internal party democracy.

Guza said the forum was particularly concerned by reports linking Kwankwaso to the exercise, questioning why the former Kano State governor would seek to have the nomination tickets of several political parties under his influence.

According to him, such actions amount to political deception and could deny genuine party members the opportunity to contest elections on their preferred platforms.

The PRP chieftain described the development as “political robbery” capable of creating confusion, disputes and disorder in the electoral process if left unchecked.

He maintained that the PRP is a party founded on principles and democratic values and would not tolerate any attempt to hijack its internal processes

Guza said the party has many loyal members interested in contesting various elective positions and insisted that their rights must be protected.

He appealed to Kwankwaso to allow political parties to operate independently and democratically, adding that the PRP should be spared from what he described as interference in its affairs.

The chairman warned that the forum would have no option but to seek legal redress should the alleged actions continue.

The leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State has reaffirmed Malam Ibrahim Khalil as the party’s sole and legitimate candidate for the 2027 Kano State governorship election, while strongly rejecting what it described as attempts by external forces to undermine the outcome of the party’s gubernatorial primary election.

The position was made public on Saturday at the Kano Press Centre of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), where senior party figures addressed journalists and accused certain national actors within the party of interfering in the affairs of the Kano chapter.

Speaking on behalf of the Expanded State Interim Leadership Team (ESILT) and other stakeholders, party elder Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad Mabo said the Kano chapter remained united behind Ibrahim Khalil and would resist any effort to alter the mandate given to him by party members.

According to the leaders, Khalil emerged victorious during the ADC gubernatorial primaries conducted on May 22, 2026, securing 55,851 votes against his closest rival, who polled 4,000 votes.

“The election was clear and decisive,” the stakeholders said in a position paper addressed to the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark. “There was a winner and there was a loser. The mandate freely given to Malam Ibrahim Khalil by party members must be respected and restored.”

The Kano ADC leadership argued that their endorsement of Khalil goes beyond the primary election results, describing it as a strategic decision rooted in Kano’s political significance and unique electoral realities.

They noted that Kano remains one of Nigeria’s most influential political and economic centres, particularly in Northern Nigeria, and that the state’s electoral performance often carries implications for national elections.

According to the stakeholders, Khalil’s influence among Islamic scholars and religious institutions could strengthen the ADC’s prospects across the North-West region and contribute positively to the party’s presidential ambitions in 2027.

They also highlighted what they described as his broad grassroots appeal, claiming he enjoys support across different religious groups, social classes, and demographic categories.

“Khalil enjoys widespread acceptance among women and young people, many of whom regularly follow his radio programmes,” the statement said.

The stakeholders further praised Khalil’s longstanding commitment to the ADC, describing him as one of the party’s foundational figures in Kano.

They credited him with helping establish party structures and ensuring the survival of the ADC during difficult periods, arguing that his loyalty and sacrifices positioned him as the most deserving candidate for the governorship ticket.

The statement also portrayed the Islamic scholar as a unifying figure capable of bringing together various Islamic groups while maintaining cordial relationships with Christian communities across the state.

According to the leaders, such qualities make him a credible alternative to what they called the “corrupt politics” associated with rival political forces.

A major focus of the briefing was the alleged interference of Hajiya Naja’atu Muhammed, former Deputy National Chairman (Values and Ethics) of the ADC.

The Kano stakeholders accused her of attempting to influence the conduct and outcome of the state’s primary election, including allegedly instructing the chairman of the election committee not to announce the results.

They further alleged that she had sidelined legitimate party stakeholders in favour of individuals loyal to her interests.

The leaders argued that the ADC constitution does not grant any national officer the authority to arbitrarily direct the affairs of state chapters.

“Being a national officer does not confer the power to dictate the affairs of a local chapter,” the statement declared. “The constitution clearly outlines the responsibilities of each organ of the party, and no provision empowers any deputy national chairman to superintend over state chapters.”

The Kano leadership also maintained that the office previously occupied by Naja’atu Muhammed no longer possesses substantive legal standing following constitutional amendments and decisions reached by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

They described any actions taken under that authority as “unlawful and constitutionally invalid.”

Responding to concerns that Ibrahim Khalil may lack the financial resources required for a competitive gubernatorial campaign, the stakeholders pointed to Kano’s political history as evidence that electoral success in the state is not solely determined by wealth.

They cited the victories of former governors such as Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi in 1979, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in 1999, and Ibrahim Shekarau in 2003, arguing that each overcame financially stronger opponents through public support and credibility.

“If history teaches us anything, it is that Kano voters have consistently demonstrated a willingness to choose candidates based on character, integrity and principles rather than wealth,” the statement said.

The Kano ADC leadership concluded by urging the party’s national leadership to intervene immediately and halt what it described as continued interference in the affairs of the state chapter.

The stakeholders warned that ignoring the will of party members could trigger internal divisions and electoral setbacks, drawing parallels with challenges experienced by the former Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) ahead of the 2011 elections.

They declared that the Kano chapter remains firmly committed to defending Khalil’s mandate and would no longer cooperate with directives linked to the alleged interference.

“The Kano State ADC is firmly resolved that Malam Ibrahim Khalil’s mandate must be respected,” the leaders stated. “We will no longer tolerate interference or cooperate with any assignment connected to these actions, regardless of who issues such directives.”

The statement was signed by former Kano ADC Chairman Alhaji Musa Shu’aibu Ungogo, party elder Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad Mabo, and the party’s Administrative Secretary, Dr. Bala M. I. Takai, on behalf of members of the Expanded State Interim Leadership Team and other stakeholders across Kano State.