Key Takeaways
- The APC is engaging in high-level talks with opposition leaders in Kano, including Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga and former Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya.
- These efforts are seen as a strategy to absorb disaffected opposition heavyweights into the APC fold ahead of the 2027 elections.
- Senator Hanga has publicly expressed frustration over his treatment within the Kwankwasiyya movement and the NDC, fueling speculation of a potential defection.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has intensified high-level engagements with prominent opposition leaders in Kano, capitalizing on growing internal rifts within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to expand the ruling party’s footprint ahead of the 2027 general elections.
At the center of the APC’s latest charm offensive are Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga (Kano Central)—the NDC’s sole sitting senator in the state—and former Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya (Kano South). Yilwatda’s recent visits to both figures mirror his earlier successful outreach to former Kano Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, a move that ultimately paved the way for Shekarau’s defection to the APC.
Background and Implications
Analysts view this tactic—framing high-stakes political courting as friendly “courtesy visits for peace and state unity”—as a deliberate strategy to absorb disaffected opposition heavyweights into the APC fold. Signaling the intensity of the push, Yilwatda has met with Senator Hanga twice in recent days—once accompanied by Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin.
These meetings come on the heels of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s recent realignment with the ruling party, further pressuring the opposition structure in the state. The APC’s overtures come at a time when Senator Hanga has publicly expressed bitterness over his treatment within the Kwankwasiyya movement and the NDC.
Response from Kwankwasiyya Movement
Dismissing Hanga’s allegations of ill-treatment during a recent broadcast interview on DITV, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso argued that Hanga’s grievances were purely self-serving and born out of frustration over missed nominations. Kwankwaso maintained that loyalty should not be conditional on personal gain and accused Hanga of playing the victim to justify a pre-planned defection to the APC.
Similarly, the Kwankwasiyya movement insists the APC’s poaching efforts pose no existential threat to its grassroots base. Speaking to Daily Trust, Mansur Kurugu, Spokesperson II for the movement, emphasized that informal dialogues are routine in politics and do not translate to actual defections until formally declared.
Why This Matters
The potential defection of Senator Hanga and other prominent opposition leaders to the APC could significantly impact the electoral landscape in Kano State, dealing a psychological and political blow to the Kwankwasiyya movement. As the 2027 elections approach, the APC’s efforts to woo disaffected opposition figures are likely to have far-reaching consequences for the state’s political landscape.