Kwankwaso at the Crossroads as Kano Governor’s Fate Hangs in Balance

Kwankwaso at the Crossroads as Kano Governor’s Fate Hangs in the Balance

 

The political future of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has been thrown into uncertainty as his mentor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya political movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, weighs whether to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or pitch his tent with the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Investigations by Patriotic Insights News indicate that Kwankwaso remains undecided, caught between the uncompromising stance of the APC and the sweeping concessions reportedly being offered by the ADC.

Sources familiar with the development disclosed that Governor Yusuf’s closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday failed to produce any definite outcome. Although details of the meeting were not officially disclosed, it was gathered that the President made no concrete commitments, instead urging the governor to resolve outstanding political issues with Kwankwaso to enable them arrive at a collective decision.

Party insiders said the position of the APC leadership—said to be shared by the President—is that Kwankwaso, rather than Governor Yusuf, is the party’s ultimate political target in Kano.

While the governor is believed to be studying the APC’s conditions, his mentor has reportedly shown little enthusiasm for the terms on offer.

One of the key conditions allegedly presented by the ruling party is that there would be no automatic governorship ticket for Governor Yusuf in 2027 should he defect to the APC. It was also gathered that the party rejected the governor’s request to nominate candidates for Kano’s state and federal appointments.

At a public event in Kano last week, Kwankwaso openly expressed reservations about returning to the APC, citing past betrayals.

“I did not say I will not join the APC, but we must first be clearly assured of the future of the Kano State government before making such a move. What will be the fate of our lawmakers and supporters?” he asked.

He recalled that previous agreements reached with the party were not honoured.

“We joined the APC before and contributed significantly to forming the government, but later we were abandoned. That was why we left. Have they now changed their position?” he queried.

Kwankwaso stressed that he would not return to the ruling party without firm guarantees.

“I will not go to the APC blindly. I must know my role, the direction of the journey, and the fate of our plans for the common people, including the position of our supporters and the Kano State Government,” he declared.

Patriotic Insights News had earlier reported that APC leaders referred the stringent conditions outlined by Kwankwaso to President Tinubu for further deliberation.

However, highly placed APC stakeholders in Kano warned that conceding to those demands could undermine existing party structures and upset entrenched power blocs in the state.

Two major factions dominate the Kano APC: one led by Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, and another controlled by former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

While Barau has openly indicated interest in contesting the 2027 governorship election, Ganduje is determined to retain his stronghold over the party’s structure in the state.

Party sources said both leaders fear that accommodating Kwankwaso could weaken their influence.

“If there are going to be negotiations, they must prioritise existing party structures. Nobody can impose anybody on us. Even President Tinubu understands the danger of undermining Kano APC’s internal balance,” a party stalwart told Patriotic Insights News.

Meanwhile, the ADC has reportedly thrown its doors wide open to the former Kano governor.

A senior official of the party’s National Working Committee confirmed that the ADC is willing to hand Kwankwaso control of its emerging structure in Kano, alongside key roles at the national level.

The source said the party is prepared to allow him significant influence over the choice of its 2027 governorship candidate and nominations for federal appointments under a future ADC-led administration.

However, the official clarified that the party would not offer Kwankwaso an automatic presidential or vice-presidential ticket.

“There will be no automatic ticket for any presidential aspirant. Anyone interested must go through the nomination process and party primaries,” the source said.

Political analysts say Kwankwaso’s dilemma lies in the unequal power balance between the two parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

While the APC could deploy what analysts describe as “federal might,” the ADC would be contesting from a weaker position.

They also recalled that Governor Yusuf’s victory in the 2023 governorship election was nullified by both the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal before being restored by the Supreme Court.

Analysts noted that unlike former President Muhammadu Buhari, who largely kept a distance from state-level election disputes, President Tinubu is unlikely to remain neutral in future electoral and legal battles.

“There is a new sheriff in town. Kwankwaso and the Kano governor are fully aware of the risks involved. They must either play small within the APC with fewer hazards or play big in the ADC amid uncertainty,” an Abuja-based political analyst said.

Complicating matters further is the deepening leadership crisis within the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the platform that brought Kwankwaso and Yusuf to power, raising serious doubts over the party’s viability ahead of the 2027 elections.

For now, Kano politics remains on edge, with all eyes fixed on Kwankwaso’s next move—and what it ultimately means for Governor Yusuf’s political survival.