Former governor of Kano State and National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has set the condition for defecting to the All Progressives Congress.
According to him, any consideration to join the APC must come with clear assurances on the future of the Kano State Government and the welfare of party supporters.
Kwankwaso gave this condition on Wednesday at his Miller Road residence in Kano, where he hosted a meeting with leaders and supporters from Rano and Dawakin Tofa Local Government Areas, alongside other Kwankwasiyya groups who reaffirmed their commitment to the party.
“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 the APC. What will be the fate of our lawmakers and other supporters before we agree to defect?” Kwankwaso said.
He recalled past experiences when members of his faction contributed to forming governments only to be sidelined later.
“In the past, we joined and contributed to forming the government, but later we were 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 added.
Kwankwaso said that no assurances had yet been given to guarantee the continuation of the party’s political structure.
“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.
The meeting was reportedly attended by the state Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo; the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Yusuf Kofar Mata; the state NNPP chairman, Hon. Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa; and other top party officials, who publicly expressed their loyalty to Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
Observers said the show of support by key government officials highlighted a widening divide within the party and reinforced Kwankwaso’s influence amid ongoing speculation over Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s potential defection to the APC.
Political analysts said Kwankwaso’s cautious stance underscores the importance of securing party structures and protecting the interests of loyalists ahead of the 2027 general elections.
