Banking On Ganduje’s Support, Governor Yusuf Has Lost Reelection – Kwankwaso

Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has effectively lost his chances of reelection in 2027 by banking on the political influence of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Speaking in his first media interview since parting ways with Governor Yusuf, Kwankwaso told the BBC that the governor’s political fate was sealed the moment Ganduje publicly raised his hand following 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 for 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, because I know the people of Kano do not support Ganduje. That was evident in our victory in the last election when we were the weaker party with zero support.”

Kwankwaso expressed deep disappointment over Governor Yusuf’s decision to leave the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

“He has taken the mandate of NNPP members and the people of Kano State and handed it over to the Gandujiyya political camp without any strong justification,” he said.

Reflecting on the fallout, the former governor said he had repeatedly questioned what went wrong but could not figure anything out.

“When I lie down to sleep, I reflect and ask myself: what really happened? Who was at fault? Was it me? Was it the party? Were the party members at fault? I cannot find an answer,” he stated.

Commenting on Governor Yusuf and other NNPP members who defected to APC but still claimed allegiance to the Kwankwasiyya political ideology, Kwankwaso dismissed such assertions, insisting that the movement’s ideology and structure were distinct and cannot be mixed up with anything else.

“Our ideology and structure are different. If you say you want to continue being part of Kwankwasiyya, why did you leave its stronghold? You should have stayed and continued the ideology at its home base,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you continue wearing the red cap; we will continue to see you as Gandujiyya loyalists.”

Kwankwaso also rejected claims of an internal crisis within the NNPP, which Governor Yusuf cited as a reason for leaving the party, noting that disagreements are a normal part of politics.

“We don’t have any crisis in our movement. We have a good leadership structure. There is no political party without complaints that is the nature of politics,” he said.

The one-time Kano Central Senator warned that the governor would regret his decision, saying, “I agree 100 per cent that now that he is not with us, he is fully with Ganduje. Even if he does not return to us in the future, he will regret his decision.”

Kwankwaso further dismissed suggestions that the defection had diminished his political relevance, arguing that the development had instead strengthened the movement’s resolve to soldier on.

“Some people think that because he is no longer with us, we have lost political relevance. But for us, this disappointment is fuelling our conviction. We did not plan for this level of betrayal,” he said. “Kano will always be with us, and even the country at large, we are working towards bringing positive change.”