Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, a former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has responded to statements credited to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, stating that Kwankwaso had been his political protégé.

In a statement issued from Saudi Arabia by his chief of staff, Comrade Muhammad Garba, where the former governor is performing the Hajj, Ganduje said the allegation was false.

Ganduje said politics is based on relationships, support and mentorship, adding that every successful politician receives assistance from others at some point in their career, according to the statement.

He said he played a major role in Kwankwaso’s early political rise, especially during his election into the House of Representatives and his subsequent emergence as Deputy Speaker.

He was quoted in the statement as saying: “I too have the right to say that Kwankwaso was once my political boy because I supported him and helped him to rise to important positions.

Ganduje also said that before that period, when he was working both in Abuja and Kano, Kwankwaso often visited his offices to discuss politics.

The former governor also urged politicians to stop using labels such as “godfather” and “political son”, adding that the focus should be on the quality of leadership and development of the people.

He also recalled the 1998 political developments in Kano where he won the governorship primary at the time but stepped down in the interest of unity and agreed to serve as Kwankwaso’s deputy.

It added that although they later had political differences, Ganduje and Kwankwaso worked together for the development of Kano State between 1999 and 2003, and again between 2011 and 2015.

Ganduje said although Yusuf once served under him, he is now the elected governor of Kano and deserves respect by virtue of the office he holds.

Ganduje urged politicians and their supporters in Kano to avoid utterances capable of deepening division, calling for peace and unity in the state.

The post Ganduje: ‘Kwankwaso was once my political boy’ appeared first on TheNigerian.

A former governor of Kano State and senator representing Kano South in the 9th National Assembly, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, has lost his bid to return to the Senate on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Gaya, who recently defected to the NDC from the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress, had contested for the party’s ticket to contest the Kano South senatorial seat in the 2027 election.

But he lost the ticket to a former National Association of Road Transport Owners Chairman, Alkasim Ibrahim Batayya.

Kwankwasiyya Spokesperson II, Mansur Kurugu, confirmed that Batayya was a result of a consensus arrangement on Sunday at the Kano residence of former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Miller Road.

Gaya had agreed to the results of the consensus process and would work to secure Batayya’s victory at the election, Kurugu said.

“Kabiru Gaya has accepted the decision and promised to give his maximum support for Batayya to win the seat,” he said.

We will continue with the consensus meeting on Monday until all the seats are decided without necessarily going into direct primaries,” he said.

Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, also shared a video of Gaya on Facebook.

In the video, the ex-senator was seen backing the decision and promising support for the party’s preferred candidate.

The development is seen as a huge political blow for Gaya, who served in the Senate from 2015 to 2023.

Gaya also served as governor of Kano State during the Third Republic and has continued to be one of the prominent politicians from Kano South.

“With Batayya emerging as NDC candidate, he is expected to face Kawu Sumaila, who defeated him in the 2023 senatorial election,” it said.

Sumaila won the seat in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) but defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he got the party’s 2027 ticket.

The post Ex-Kano Governor Gaya Defeated By Batayya In NDC Senate Ticket Race appeared first on TheNigerian.

In what appears to be a political twist, the son of former National Chairman, All Progressive Congress, APC, AbdulAziz Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has purchased a form to contest for the House of Representatives for Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/ Rimin Gado seat.

AbdulAziz who left his family homes to work with Kwankwaso was seen in a clip explaining to Kwankwaso about his mission.

AbdulAziz would now be squaring off with an APC candidate in one of the hottest contests for the House of Representatives seat in Kano with these moves.

Since the time when Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC, the party has continued to gain ground in Kano.

The post Political Twist in Kano as Ganduje’s Son Picks NDC Reps Nomination Form appeared first on TheNigerian.

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) reconciliation process ahead of the 2027 general elections has recorded mixed reactions, as some stakeholders embraced the initiative, while others stayed away from the engagement.

The committee, which was set up to address the grievances of aspirants and stakeholders of the party, has started meeting across the federal and state constituencies of the state.

It is chaired by a former National Treasurer of APC, Hon. Bala Muhammad Gwagwarwa and Prof. Nura Yaro Dawakin Tofa is the secretary. Other members are Hon. Mutari Ishaq Yakasai and a former Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Zahara’u.

The panel is understood to have been inaugurated to reinforce the unity of the party and prevent internal wrangling from weakening the APC ahead of the next election cycle.

In the course of its assignment, the committee invited aspirants and stakeholders from the Doguwa/Tudun-Wada Federal Constituency, which has lately become a battle ground between the member of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa and another aspirant, Salisu Yusha’u.

Doguwa attended and participated in the reconciliation meeting at the Kano State Government House.

However, the meeting was not attended by the Chairperson of the Tudun-Wada Local Government and Kano State ALGON Chairperson, Hajiya Sa’adatu Salisu Yusha’u and her husband Salisu Yusha’u.

Their absence has raised concerns, particularly as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had previously instructed aspirants aspiring for elective positions on the platform of the APC to return to their constituencies, engage in broad consultations, and collaborate with stakeholders to arrive at consensus candidates.

Confirming the development, committee secretary, Prof. Nura Yaro D-Tofa, and Hon. Mutari Ishaq Yakasai said Hajiya Sa’adatu and her husband did not attend the meeting.

They said the reconciliation process was still ongoing, and so far has covered more than seven federal constituencies and 13 state assembly constituencies across Kano State.

They said the exercise has been going on steadily and the committee is optimistic that it would successfully complete its assignment in a short period of time.

Stakeholders Back Doguwa
It was reported that stakeholders from the Doguwa/Tudun-Wada Federal Constituency had earlier supported Doguwa’s bid to contest the 2027 election on the platform of the APC.

The endorsement was reportedly accepted by Governor Yusuf as part of efforts to ease tension and build consensus in the party.

The development, however, seems to have heightened political interest in the constituency, given the rivalry between Doguwa and Salisu Yusha’u.

“The reconciliation committee said it was still committed to fostering unity, cooperation and collective success in the APC in Kano State despite the setback.

The Kano APC inaugurated the reconciliation committee as a step to resolve internal disputes and strengthen party cohesion ahead of the 2027 polls.

The post Kano APC Reconciliation Suffers Setback As ALGON Chair, Husband Shun Panel appeared first on TheNigerian.

The NDC chieftain said he and his followers were not rewarded for giving the late former President Muhammadu Buhari almost two million votes.

He said that despite putting their lives on the line to get the numbers of votes, the camp of Buhari never recognised their hard work.

The former Kano State governor said the experience spurred him to seek political change in an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday night.

He said: “I have worked so hard. We had about 1.9, almost 2 million people vote. But we are not seen as politicians. We even put our lives on the line at that time.

“Sadly we were unable to see any benefits either as individuals or those represented by our constituencies.”

The ex-presidential candidate also said there are problems with the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Kwankwaso maintained that this crisis has made Nigerians across all strata to desire change.

He added: “Everybody knows there are problems with this administration again. And so people are determined at grassroots level, and even at the level we are operating now, that there should be some levels of changes.”

The post ‘I Wasn’t Recognized Despite Delivering Nearly 2 Million Votes For Buhari’ – Kwankwaso appeared first on TheNigerian.

Kano is quickly becoming one of Nigeria’s most important political battlegrounds ahead of the 2027 general elections. A fight is breaking out between former governors and established political structures, which observers call a “war of heavyweights.”

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Kwankwasiyya Movement, which is now part of the ADC, are at the center of the growing contest. On the other side, there is a growing alliance within the APC that includes Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the current governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Ibrahim Shekarau, who just left the party.

In an interview on Arise TV, former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau said that people who criticize him for changing parties often are wrong. He said that his decisions are based on principle, not personal ambition.

“You see, I’m worried that people will think this is wrong, but it’s the same principle that makes us move,” he said.

He said that he never makes decisions on his own; instead, he talks to people from all parties before making a decision.

“If you look at the records, we make it public. We talk to a lot of people. He said, “We have a system of consultation at the state and local government levels.”

Shekarau made it clear that his main concern is still internal democracy in political parties.

He said, “It’s not okay for people to be denied their right to participate in free and fair internal democracy and for the leadership to be very selfish and not pay attention to these complaints.”

His return to the APC has changed the political landscape in Kano once more, and people are wondering if his influence can help the party’s chances.

Kwankwasiyya Movement Says No to Growing APC Alliance in Kano

Members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement are still standing up to the growing coalition against Kwankwaso.

Mansur Umar Kurugu, the Kwankwasiyya Movement’s Spokesperson II, who spoke only for the group, downplayed the strength of the new APC alignment.

He said, “I think the truth is that APC is not getting any stronger by bringing people like Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Abba Kabir Yusuf together.”

He said that similar alliances had failed before and that his boss, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is still as strong as ever and deeply involved in Kano politics.

“This isn’t the first time.” “We saw it in 2019, we saw it in 2023, and Kwankwaso never let the people down when he beat this kind of coalition,” Kurugu said.

He said with confidence before 2027, “Kwankwaso is super ready, Kwankwasiyya is super ready, and we are going to beat this group of selfish politicians.”

Supporters of the APC back Yusuf and question Kwankwaso’s importance.

APC supporters, on the other hand, say that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is still a strong candidate who could help the party win.

Kabir Dakata, who is the chairperson of KASA and a big fan of Yusuf, said he was hopeful about the APC’s chances.

He said, “We are the original Kwankwasiyya members, and we will win the 2027 elections.”

He also liked that Kwankwaso moved to the ADC, saying it backs up claims that there were problems within his old camp.

Dakata also said that Kwankwaso’s power might not be as strong as people think.

Kano’s 2027 race is becoming more and more defined by competing legacies and political structures. On one side are Ganduje’s political machine, Shekarau’s grassroots network, and Yusuf’s incumbency. On the other side is Kwankwaso’s “cult political followership.”

The post 2027 Battle Lines Drawn as Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Ganduje, Ibrahim Shekarau Prepare for Showdown appeared first on TheNigerian.

Habibu Saleh, the Kwankwasiyya Movement’s spokesperson, says that the Movement is still strong even though Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Seleh said this in an interview with Daily Post, where he was asked about claims that his boss, Rabiu Kwankwaso, now shares Kano’s political structure with Yusuf.

Saleh said that the political situation in Kano isn’t new. He remembered that former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje once left the Kwankwasiyya Movement with a lot of political supporters, but the Movement stayed strong and eventually got back in power.

He said that even though they lost important people, like elected officials at the time, the group reorganized and came back stronger. He thinks this will happen again.

He says that the ruling structure in Kano is not managing its internal divisions well, which could help Kwankwaso win the next election.

He also said that people might not understand Kwankwaso’s power because they don’t know what direction his politics are going in.

He said, “It may look that way on paper, but history has shown that it isn’t. We’ve been here before.

“We didn’t have a councillor, a lawmaker, or even a political appointee at one point, but we came back stronger and took back power.

“We’re even more organized now, and I promise you that things won’t go back to normal. We will do better than we did before.

“The current political situation in Kano is not well managed, and even within the APC and the government, there is no proper alignment.

“What’s important is getting rid of this government and giving Nigerians a better choice.

“Some people may not fully understand Kwankwaso’s political journey. But we are sure that the truth will come out on its own.

The post “Reality Will Speak” – Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s Aide Downplays Abba Kabir Yusuf’s Defection appeared first on TheNigerian.

Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Downstream Petroleum Committee, has said that 27 of the 31 All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders backed Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo’s nomination for Deputy Governor of Kano State.

Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the former deputy governor, quit weeks after impeachment proceedings began against him, according to reports.

Doguwa praised Governor Abba Yusuf on Sunday for choosing Garo as his deputy governor.

He said, “I have to praise His Excellency, Governor Engr. Abba Kabir’s decision to humbly and willingly give up his constitutional rights and powers to the legacy part of the old APC, which is led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, so that they can choose a Deputy Governor for him.

“We must praise the governor for this one act of kindness and modesty. We must also thank him for his rare generosity and clear determination to work together for the party’s unity.” Second, Governor Kabiru gave our group a number of open positions to fill with our members, including three Commissioner slots.

He said that what the governor did was unprecedented and the first time it had ever happened.

Doguwa hinted that during their meeting, “Most of the old legacy party members, including myself, have worked together to support Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and accept him as the leader of the legacy group in Kano state.” He was in charge of our meeting last night. The meeting went well for me, and there was a lot of support for our former Deputy Gubernatorial candidate and former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Hon. Murtala Sulen Garo, as the unanimous choice.

“Of course, there were voices of dissent that couldn’t be ignored in this situation. But 27 of the 31 stakeholders who were there agreed on Murtala as our main candidate for this important job.

“We have made our choice for Murtala based on the following practical political reasons: 1. Murtala was our deputy gubernatorial candidate in the last general election in 2023. His political outreach and support from our party members are beyond doubt. 2. He has the most power over the 44 LGAs in the state. 3. Murtala Sule Garo happened to come from the Gwarzo Kabo federal constituency, which is also where the former deputy governor of Kwankwasiyya came from.

“We are sure about these facts. Murtala is the best person to fill this very important role. However, we have chosen to give three names to follow the orders of His Excellency, the Governor, who is the party’s highest leader in the state.

“But in my mind and the minds of most of us, the other two names are just “shadow nominees” or “space holders.” But as a legacy family, we all agree that Hon. Murtala Sulen Garo should be the deputy governor.

“We, therefore, most respectfully urge and request His Excellency, the Governor who naturally holds the final constitutional discretion and the powers to make this very critical decision to graciously accept this popular decision of the legacy party members.

“We promise His Excellency that we will help him win the elections in 2027, both as individuals and as a group.”

The post Deputy Gov Slot: Yusuf Handed Constitutional Right to Old APC – Doguwa appeared first on TheNigerian.

Salihu Tanko Yakasai, a former Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) candidate for governor, has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to make Kano State a one-party state.

In a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Yakasai made the accusation and cautioned that it is a serious miscalculation.

He claimed that Kano’s political history demonstrates that the state has never had a one-party system and that this is unlikely to change, from the time of the now-defunct Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) to the “Santsi da Tabo” era.

“Kano is not Lagos,” said Yakasai, a former media assistant to former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

He clarified that the principles set forth by the late Aminu Kano—public interest, truth, and ideological commitment—are the foundation of Kano’s politics. He claims that resistance in Kano is necessary to guarantee societal advancement, sound governance, justice, and accountability rather than for its own sake.

Yakasai also voiced alarm about what he called the disregard for Kano State residents’ grievances, specifically claims of unequal government appointments and the preference given to some areas in development initiatives.

He maintained that the public would not support such acts.

He emphasized that devotion to leadership is not gained by compulsion, political manipulation, or deceit, but rather via justice and effective governance.

Finally, he issued a warning, saying that the people of Kano would take action at the elections in 2027 if they were still denied their proper development.

The post Kano Isn’t Lagos: Ganduje’s Ex-Aide Cautions Tinubu on One-Party Push appeared first on TheNigerian.

Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, a previous candidate for governor of Kano State, has quit the All Progressives Congress, or APC.

Former presidential media assistant Bashir Ahmad verified this on Monday night through his X account.

Ahmad lamented Gawuna’s departure and said it was a bad turn of events.

“Unfortunately, we have lost Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, the former Kano State gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general elections, as he has officially resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC),” he wrote. It’s not good!

This occurs just hours after Gawuna left his position as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s (FMBN) Chairman of the Governing Board.

He stated in a resignation letter dated March 27, 2026, that his choice is effective immediately and that it complies with the President’s order to adhere to electoral regulations in advance of future political events.

The post ‘This Is Not Good’: Bashir Ahmad Confirms Gawuna’s Exit from APC appeared first on TheNigerian.