Between Kano's Desperate Godson and "Priceless" Godfather

Spread the love

By Abubakar Siddiq Ibn Usman

The political landscape of Northern Nigeria is currently witnessing a seismic shift as the alliance between Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his mentor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, reaches a dramatic breaking point.

With President Tinubu and APC heavyweight Abdullahi Ganduje now back in the frame, the stage is set for a realignment that could redefine the 2027 race.

The tension peaked on Friday night during a clandestine, midnight encounter. In a scene straight out of a political drama, Governor Yusuf reportedly arrived at Kwankwaso’s residence in a private vehicle, accompanied only by a mediator known as Sarkin Gobir.

His mission? To make a “final push” to convince Kwankwaso to join him in a mass defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This move was allegedly a directive from the Presidency as a condition for the Governor’s smooth transition into the ruling party.

However, the “Red Cap” patriarch remained unmoved. Addressing his supporters the following day, a defiant Kwankwaso delivered a stinging rebuke:
“If you are looking for someone who has no price tag, come to Rabiu Kwankwaso. Betrayal is not good… everyone knows how that party [APC] is losing the sympathy of the people.”

Following the rejection from his godfather, Governor Yusuf did not retreat. Instead, he jetted out to France on Friday to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sources suggest this meeting is a critical “debrief.”

The Governor is expected to inform the President of Kwankwaso’s refusal and finalize the logistics of his own defection. Despite the Governor’s willingness, the Presidency remains wary; the goal was to bring the entire Kwankwasiyya machinery into the APC fold.

With the “grassroots” remaining loyal to Kwankwaso, the APC is now calculating whether accepting a “General without an army” is a winning move.

Adding fuel to the fire, the former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, touched down in Nigeria on Saturday after a multi-week vacation in Dubai.

His return is perfectly timed. As the chief rival of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Ganduje’s role will be pivotal in managing the optics of his successor (and former foe) joining his party. According to his Chief of Staff, Muhammad Garba, Ganduje is immediately diving into “stakeholder consultations” to review the evolving Kano landscape.

While the Governor may bring the lawmakers and local government chairmen with him, the streets of Kano appear to be staying with the “Red Cap.”

The coming days will reveal if the APC formally welcomes Yusuf or if the backlash from the Kwankwasiyya loyalists forces a tactical delay.