APC dismisses Kwankwaso’s claim defecting Kano Governor will lose

Former Kano State Governor and leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has declared that the current Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf, will lose the 2027 governorship election following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He labeled Yusuf’s move a profound betrayal of the Kwankwasiyya political movement.

Speaking in a BBC Hausa interview, Kwankwaso cited the imagery of APC stalwart and former governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje raising Yusuf’s hand at the defection ceremony as a bad political omen.

“When I saw Ganduje raising Abba’s hand, I knew automatically that Abba would not win any election,” he said, arguing that the people of Kano reject the “Gandujiyya” political bloc. He insisted the ideologies of Gandujiyya and Kwankwasiyya are incompatible, stating, “They are like darkness and light.”

Kwankwaso dismissed suggestions that internal NNPP crises prompted the defection, asserting the party remains stable and deeply rooted in Kano through the Kwankwasiyya movement.

In a swift rebuttal, APC Director of Publicity Bala Ibrahim dismissed Kwankwaso’s prediction as “mere rhetoric.”

He countered that Ganduje’s endorsement has consistently led to electoral victory, citing his support for winning governors in Imo, Kogi, and Osun states.

“The hands of Ganduje are truly hands of victory… Victory is certain for our party and candidates in 2027,” Ibrahim stated.

Yusuf’s defection has sparked significant political realignment in Kano, leading to the resignation of numerous commissioners, special advisers, local government chairmen, and lawmakers loyal to him as positioning for the 2027 elections intensifies.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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