Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has effectively lost his chances of securing a second term in 2027 by aligning himself with former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Kwankwaso noted that the governor’s political fate was sealed the moment Ganduje publicly raised his hand after Yusuf’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I saw it in the papers that it was Ganduje who raised his hand, and at that moment it symbolised to us that he had lost the election,” Kwankwaso said. “If Ganduje truly had that level of influence, he would have delivered in 2019 and 2023. The people of Kano do not support Ganduje, and that was evident in our victory at the last election, even when we were the weaker party with no support.”
Kwankwaso expressed disappointment over Yusuf’s decision to dump the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accusing him of betraying the mandate given to him by party members and the people of Kano State.
“He took the mandate of NNPP members and the people of Kano and handed it over to the Gandujiyya camp without any strong justification,” he said.
Reflecting on the fallout during an interview with BBC Hausa, the former governor said he had repeatedly tried to understand what led to the breakup but could not pinpoint any specific reason.
“When I lie down to sleep, I ask myself what really happened. Was it me? Was it the party? Were party members at fault? I cannot find an answer,” he stated.
Kwankwaso also dismissed claims by Yusuf and other defectors to the APC that they still belong to the Kwankwasiyya political ideology, insisting that the movement’s structure and values are distinct and cannot be separated from its political base.
“Our ideology and structure are different. If you want to remain Kwankwasiyya, why leave its stronghold? You should have stayed and continued the ideology from its home,” he said. “Wearing the red cap alone does not matter; we will continue to see them as Gandujiyya loyalists.”
He rejected allegations of an internal crisis within the NNPP, which Yusuf cited as justification for his defection, describing disagreements as a normal feature of politics.
“There is no crisis in our movement. We have a strong leadership structure. Every political party has complaints—that is the nature of politics,” he said.
Kwankwaso warned that the governor would eventually regret his decision, adding that Yusuf is now fully aligned with Ganduje.
“Whether or not he returns to us, he will regret this decision,” he said.
The former Kano Central senator also dismissed suggestions that Yusuf’s defection had weakened his political relevance, arguing instead that it has strengthened the resolve of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
“Some people think we have lost relevance because he is no longer with us. For us, this disappointment has strengthened our conviction. Kano will always be with us, and we are working towards positive change for the state and the country,” he said.
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