…His defection could possibly be recreation changer in 2027 – Analysts
There may be confusion over studies that former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was in superior consultations to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) forward of the 2027 normal election.
Regardless of media studies over the weekend, sources near the previous senator instructed BusinessDay that there was nothing concrete but.
The APC misplaced Kano to the New Nigeria Folks’s Occasion (NNPP) within the 2023 election and assumed a brand new standing because the main opposition celebration within the state.
Kwankwaso had solely final week declared that his celebration was not towards becoming a member of the APC.
Whereas receiving Buhari Bakwana, a former political adviser to ex-governor Abdullahi Ganduje, alongside APC members drawn from the 44 native authorities areas of Kano State, at his Miller Highway residence in Kano, the NNPP chief stated any dialogue of a merger or return to the APC should spell out tangible advantages for his celebration.
“If you’re asking us to affix APC, you have to inform us what NNPP will achieve. We’ve got gubernatorial candidates in all of the states and full constructions nationwide. What is going to you provide them if we be part of?” he queried.
“We’re prepared to affix APC underneath robust circumstances and guarantees. We won’t enable anybody to make use of us and later dump us,” he maintained.
Kwankwaso’s defection to the APC would mark the second time he could be figuring out with the celebration.
To many, his defection to the APC didn’t come as a shock because it has been lengthy speculated that such would occur. The ruling celebration has made a number of makes an attempt to convey him again to its fold after the 2023 normal election and it seems that they’ve succeeded now.
It is because amongst different causes, it’s believed that Kwankwaso controls the votes in Kano.
Learn additionally: Kwankwaso reaffirms loyalty to NNPP, denies plans to join another party
Sources throughout the ruling celebration confirmed to BusinessDay that Kwankwaso has opened direct traces of communication with Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC nationwide chairman, and has already submitted a proper letter to the celebration’s nationwide secretariat in Abuja, signalling his intention to return to the APC.
A celebration chieftain on the APC secretariat in Abuja disclosed that talks between Kwankwaso and the nationwide management had been ongoing and had reached a sophisticated stage.
The chieftain acknowledged that he anticipated the previous governor to affix the APC quickly.
“A line of communication is on now; this follows a gathering the previous governor lately held with the presidency the place he lay down his calls for.
“As a celebration, we’ll abide by no matter resolution the leaders really feel is in the most effective curiosity of the APC,” the chieftain stated.
Kwankwaso, who powered the NNPP to victory in Kano over the last normal election, delivering each the presidential and governorship polls, stays a dominant political determine within the state.
His protégé, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, defeated the APC’s Nasir Yusuf Gawuna within the governorship race.
A number of folks throughout the Kano APC acknowledged that, Kwankwaso has offered a set of circumstances for his defection.
Chief amongst them is a requirement that Governor Yusuf be allowed to fly the APC governorship ticket in 2027, whereas Kwankwaso himself is assured of a outstanding function within the subsequent APC-led federal authorities.
“We’re conscious of the letter he submitted, however it’s not one thing we will talk about brazenly now,” the supply stated. “If he’s coming, we’ve got nothing towards that.
He’s welcome. However from what we all know, the letter was submitted in Abuja, not Kano, due to his long-standing rivalry with the Kano chapter of the celebration.”
Political watchers say Kwankwaso’s transfer, which is coming lower than two years to the 2027 normal election, was a sign of his readiness to reposition himself throughout the ruling celebration’s energy construction and probably play a decisive function within the subsequent electoral cycle.
Some days in the past, has a preparation to Kwankwaso’s potential defection to APC, important stakeholders of the APC from Kano State yesterday held a method assembly final week studies acknowledged.
Reviews stated the assembly which had in attendance, outstanding APC leaders together with the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; fast previous APC nationwide chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; Minister of State, Housing and City Improvement, Abdullahi Ata; and Particular Adviser to the President on Senate Issues, Basheer Lado, endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second time period.
The stakeholders additionally resolved to work assiduously to make sure that the APC reclaims energy in Kano within the 2027 governorship election.
Others on the assembly had been Kawu Sumaila (APC, Kano South), the Chairman, Home of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Kabir Bichi; Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya; state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas and plenty of different bigwigs of the APC in Kano State.
Addressing newsmen after the assembly, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), stated the assembly examined the state of the celebration in Kano and the problem of governance and found that President Tinubu had accomplished effectively for the state and all the nation.
“We found a number of initiatives which were carried out. Others are ongoing in our state and certainly all the northern a part of this nation.
“We additionally found that so many individuals have been appointed into varied places of work in our state and certainly all the nation, all the northern a part of Nigeria.
“We additionally examined the truth that our celebration is now rising from energy to energy due to a number of interventions made by President in the direction of assuaging the struggling of our folks.
“So, we’re solidly behind him as stated by the previous nationwide chairman (Ganduje). We’re solidly behind him as a result of he loves us. We’ve got by no means requested for something from him that he has not accomplished for us,” he stated.
Kwankwaso’s defection recreation changer in 2027 – Analysts
Pundits and political watchers imagine Kwankwaso had already agreed to affix the ruling celebration and could also be negotiating a beneficial time period earlier than making the transfer.
Nevertheless, there’s the overall settlement that his defection to the ruling celebration might finally have a giant implication on the results of the presidential ballot in 2027.
The analysts acknowledged that the expansion of the Kwankwasiya motion, which he instructions throughout the North western states, couldn’t be underestimated.
“No matter you say about him, he controls Kano and the inhabitants of that state.
“I feel the ruling celebration is afraid of shedding Kano to the opposition and they’re doing all the things they’ll to get him.
“If he joins the APC, it’s a large benefit to Tinubu, however allow us to watch and see, nothing is determined till election day”, John Sunday, a political analyst, stated.
The analyst additional pointed there could possibly be division throughout the NNPP camp earlier than the 2027 normal election, stressing that some leaders is probably not snug shifting to the APC and shedding their powers.
Equally, Temitope Musowo, political analyst, stated Kwankwaso could also be delaying his defection to barter a beneficial time period earlier than his defection to the ruling celebration.
“He is aware of wining Kano shouldn’t be sure in 2027, particularly with the form of electoral system that we’ve got and so defecting stands out as the solely choice for him.
“Don’t neglect our legislators solely consider themselves, he’s already considering of what he stands to lose, if Kano is taken from him and earlier than becoming a member of APC, he has to barter and get a very good deal.”
Kwankwaso denies plan to affix ruling celebration
In the meantime, in a shock twist, the previous Kano State governor has denied studies that he’s planning to alter his political celebration.
Reacting over the weekend by way of a put up on his official X account, the previous Minister of Defence stated: “We’ve got been alerted to some on-line statements suggesting that we’ve got submitted a letter of intent to affix a political celebration within the nation.
“We wish to make clear that we’ve got not made any such submission to any celebration.
“The general public is due to this fact suggested to remain knowledgeable of any additional info relating to our matter by way of the established official channels.”
Equally, Ganduje, the previous nationwide chairman of the APC, has not been snug along with his plan to affix the ruling celebration.
Such was seen in a shock viral video on X, the place Ganduje was seen reacting to the purported transfer by Kwankwaso to rejoin the ruling celebration.
Ganduje stated he was shocked to listen to that Kwankwaso was planning to re-join the celebration.
“I’m stunned to listen to that Kwankwaso will return to the APC after he had described the celebration as mad.
“They’ve now vomited and licked it, and he as soon as stated President Tinubu doesn’t know learn how to govern; solely constructing Lagos with Nigeria’s cash.”
