A former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged his associates in Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's government, who are reportedly under pressure over the governor's planned defection, to align with his move to the APC to ease rising tension in the state.
Kwankwaso spoke Tuesday in a short video clip posted on Facebook by his media aide, Saifullahi Hassan.
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Governor Yusuf's reported intention to join the APC has strained the relationship between him and Kwankwaso, his long-time political benefactor.
While Kwankwaso has resisted calls to move with the governor to the APC, he expressed concern over reports that elected officials, including local government chairmen, councillors, secretaries, and other officeholders, were being asked to sign documents declaring their political allegiance.
"Today, 13th January 2026, I arrived in our blessed state of Kano, where I met many good things, but also some troubling developments, especially the policy forcing council chairmen, councillors, secretaries, and other office holders to write down who they are siding with, Kwankwasiyya or Gandujiyya. This is quite unfortunate, and none of our supporters will be happy with it," he said.
Efforts to get the government's reaction to the allegation were unsuccessful yesterday. The state Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Waiya, did not respond to phone calls, while the governor's spokesman, Sanusi Bature, was also unreachable as of the time of filing this report.
Kwankwaso recalled how the Kwankwasiyya Movement patiently waited until 2023 to regain power in the state, largely due to strong grassroots mobilisation. He emphasised that the movement's return to power was aimed at improving the lives of Kano citizens, particularly through better access to education, job opportunities, infrastructure development, and general welfare.
"We exercised patience and waited for 2023, when people came out with even stronger determination and voted for the present administration in the state, with the hope of getting a better life, access to education, job opportunities, and improved general welfare," he said.
Kwankwaso characterised the political landscape in Kano as a contest between "light and darkness," stressing that the Kwankwasiyya Movement represents a clear blueprint that cannot be compromised.
"Our movement is such that if you are in it, you will follow its blueprint. But if you deviate, you will have to defect from it. In Kano, we have only two options: light and darkness. We are glad that people clearly understand that, and we appreciate them for that," he said.
The former governor also recalled the process of selecting and giving party tickets to local government chairmen and councillors during the 2023 elections. He highlighted the committee, which he chaired, and included figures such as the Deputy Governor of Kano, the Speaker of the Kano State Assembly from Falgore, AVM Ibrahim Umar, Dr Kofar Mata, the state party chairman, Dungurawa, and Sanusi Surajo, chairman of Kwankwasiyya in Danzaki, among others.
"All our LG caucuses sat down, and to God be the glory, we are proud of them. We hope they will continue doing their best," he said.
Addressing the governor's planned defection, Kwankwaso said the crisis had caused anxiety among elected officials under Yusuf's administration.
"Since the crisis of defecting to Ganduje and Tinubu started, people became sad and frustrated. Many LG chairmen called me on the phone; likewise, some councillors who have access to me, other office holders, and many state assembly members intimated me about the situation they found themselves in, with some of them having sleepless nights, while some even had drips injected into their bodies," he said.
Kwankwaso said he had consulted key stakeholders and decided to allow all officials under pressure, including LG chairmen, elected and supervisory councillors, and other elected officials, to temporarily declare allegiance to the governor.
He described this move as a pragmatic step to reduce tension and protect officials under threat while maintaining the broader integrity of the movement.
"We know that all the main politicking for 2027 has not even started yet. Our supporters should be on standby. We know them wherever they are, and they know us too. I believe this will help douse tension in the state, especially for those under pressure and threat," he said.
Kwankwaso also expressed gratitude to his caucus members, many of whom, he claimed, had been lured with promises that were never fulfilled over the last three years.
He thanked the governor for publicly acknowledging the achievements of his administration.
"I want to thank the executive governor, who yesterday commended our administration and exposed the administration that crippled a lot of things in our state," Kwankwaso added.
Kwankwaso playing a long game - Analyst
Reacting to Kwankwaso's directive, a Kano-based political analyst and academic, Dr Kabiru Sufi, said the former governor appeared to be employing a long-term strategic approach, prioritising future influence over immediate confrontation.
"I think it is a strategic move to create flexibility within the movement. Even if more people follow the governor to APC, observers may assume it is temporary rather than a loss of the movement's core support," Sufi said.
He said the move could confuse analysts trying to assess which faction within the Kwankwasiyya Movement will carry more followers.
"By this directive, even if those who follow the governor to APC become more in number than those who remain, people will think it is due to this instruction, not a weakening of the movement. Kwankwaso has essentially allowed his supporters the liberty to navigate pressure while still keeping the option to follow his leadership in the future," Dr Sufi said.
The analyst described the approach as a tactical long game designed to maintain influence and cohesion within Kwankwaso's political fold ahead of the 2027 elections. "Even if fewer people remain with him now, observers will assume the movement has not lost its following. This is another political strategy, a subtle way of maintaining control while letting others make immediate choices under pressure," he added.
Kwankwaso's intervention highlights the delicate balancing act in Kano politics, where the intersection of loyalty, pressure, and strategic positioning continues to shape the dynamics between the governor, his benefactor, and their respective political camps.
Kano APC awaits presidency on gov's defection date
Meanwhile, the APC in Kano State says it has concluded arrangements to receive Governor Yusuf and other political actors, adding that it is only waiting for the Presidency to fix a date.
The party's state secretary, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina, stated this yesterday in an interview with Daily Trust while speaking on the outcome of a recent APC stakeholders' meeting.
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He said the meeting was convened mainly to review progress on the ongoing electronic registration of members and to chart a way forward, describing the exercise as an added advantage ahead of future elections.
According to Sarina, although the issue of possible defections by the governor came up during the meeting, the party has no objection and is, in fact, pleased with the prospect.
"Nothing much about the defection was discussed, but of course, the matter came up. We don't have anything against it. In fact, we are happy. All arrangements have been concluded so far. We are now waiting for the presidency to fix a date," he said.
He noted that the APC's overriding objective remains electoral victory, saying any development that strengthens the party's base is welcome.
"Any addition to our fold is what we are looking for. The ultimate goal is to win elections at the end of the day," Sarina said.
Commenting on the political future of Kwankwaso, Sarina said the APC would not force him to join the party.
"For Kwankwaso, it seems he is not interested, and that is fine. If he decides to come, he is welcome," he said.
However, he cautioned that the party would not tolerate internal crises, alleging that Kwankwaso's political engagements are often accompanied by tension and division.
"All that we don't want from him is crisis. He is the type of person who, wherever he is, there must be crisis and tension," Sarina said.
He added that with the APC controlling the federal government, Kwankwaso would not have enough influence to destabilise the party or the political environment in Kano.
"With the government at the centre, I don't think he will have much influence to destabilise anything," he added.
