Strong indications emerged yesterday that former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is in talks with the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda on plans to join the ruling party.
Sources within the APC in Kano, said Kwankwaso had written to the national secretariat of the APC in Abuja informing the party of his intention to join the party
But this could not be independently verified by the Daily Trust as of press time.
However, a source at the APC secretariat in Abuja said Kwankwaso and the APC national chairman have been holding talks in respect of the former’s expected defection and that plans have reached advanced stage.
He said this is sequel to a meeting the former Kano governor had with the presidency on the matter. “As a party, we will abide by whatever decision the leaders feel is in the interest of the party,” the source added.
Kwankwaso was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 presidential elections and was the force behind the party winning both in the presidential and governorship elections in the state, in which Abba Kabir Yusuf defeated Nasir Yusuf Gawuna of the APC.
A reliable source within the Kano APC informed our correspondent that Kwankwaso has submitted a set of conditions for his return to the ruling party.
The source said the letter was forwarded to the APC national leadership in Abuja, rather than the Kano chapter, due to his lingering rivalry with the state leadership of the party.
“We are aware of the letter he submitted but it’s not something we can discuss now. If he is coming, we have nothing against that, he is welcome,” the source said.
“From what we know, he submitted it in Abuja, not in Kano. Whatever the case, once everything is finalised, it will be made public,” the source added.
Pundits say by writing to the party, the former NNPP presidential candidate may have concluded on his next line of action ahead 2027.
Part of the conditions according to our source include allowing his mentee, the current governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to fly the APC ticket in the governorship election while he is given a prominent position in the next APC government.
Even though sources close to Kwankwaso refused to open up on how far they have gone with the preparation of moving to the APC, some credible sources close to Governor Yusuf said their principal is ready to move.
Our governor has no objection at all,” one of the sources said.
“He is only waiting for the green light from his mentor,” he said.
The APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, however, told Daily Trust last night that the alleged letter is in the realm of speculation.
He, however, said the party is ready to welcome Kwankwaso and any other politician who is willing to abide by its progressive ideology and ready to work for the party’s interest.
He said, “I don’t know anything concerning the submission of a letter by Kwankwaso to the secretariat.”
On whether there were underground negotiations with Kwankwaso, Ibrahim said, “Not to my knowledge. All these are in the realm of speculations.”
Our correspondents learnt that the proper procedure would have been for the former governor to approach his ward and not write directly to the national secretariat of the party.
Previous moves
Kwankwaso had only last week declared that his party was not averse to joining the APC.
While receiving Buhari Bakwana, a former political adviser to ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, alongside APC members drawn from the 44 local government areas of Kano State, at his Miller Road residence in Kano, the NNPP leader said any discussion of a merger or return to the APC must spell out tangible benefits for his party.
“If you are asking us to join APC, you must tell us what NNPP will gain. We have gubernatorial candidates in all the states and full structures nationwide. What will you offer them if we join?” he queried. “We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us,” he maintained.