Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former Governor of Kano State and National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has laid down explicit conditions for any potential defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the need for ironclad guarantees for the survival of the Kano State government and the welfare of his political structure.
Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday at his Miller Road residence in Kano, Kwankwaso addressed a gathering of leaders and supporters from Rano and Dawakin Tofa Local Government Areas, alongside key figures from the Kwankwasiyya movement.
He made it clear that a return to the APC, which he left in the past, is not off the table but is entirely contingent on clear assurances.
“I didn’t say I won’t join APC, but we must first be clearly assured of the future of the Kano State government before we join,” Kwankwaso declared. He emphasized the protection of his loyalists, questioning, “What will be the fate of our lawmakers and other supporters before we agree to defect?”
His caution is rooted in what he described as a bitter historical precedent. He recalled how members of his faction had previously contributed to forming governments, only to be sidelined and abandoned. “That was why we left the party. Have they now changed their position toward us? Everyone knows the role we played at that time,” he stated, underscoring a deep-seated distrust.
Crucially, Kwankwaso stressed that no such assurances have been provided. “Up till now, no one has given me a clear assurance that we will be allowed to retain our government and continue with our political structure. I need to know where I stand,” he said, highlighting the unresolved nature of the negotiations.
The high-stakes meeting was attended by prominent figures, including the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo; the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Yusuf Kofar Mata; and the state NNPP chairman, Hon. Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa.
Their public display of loyalty to Kwankwaso underscored his enduring influence while simultaneously revealing a widening rift within the NNPP, especially amid persistent speculation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may also be considering a move to the APC.
This development places the ball firmly in the court of the APC’s national leadership, which must decide whether to meet Kwankwaso’s demands to potentially consolidate power in the crucial political battleground of Kano or risk the continuation of a formidable opposition bloc.
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