Early Signs of Internal Tension Emerge in Kano APC
Barely two weeks after Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, formally defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), concerns are emerging over internal cohesion within the party.
Political analysts had earlier warned that the governor’s defection could trigger rivalry among party members with competing political ambitions. While such concerns were initially viewed as speculative, developments in some local government areas over the weekend appear to have raised early warning signals.
Reports from Kano Municipal and Dawakin Tofa Local Government Areas indicate growing disagreements among party stakeholders, with parallel meetings reportedly held to address the same issue of fostering unity within the APC.
It was gathered that some local governments had planned unity meetings to address concerns arising from Governor Yusuf’s defection ahead of the upcoming APC state, local government, and ward congresses. Kano Municipal was among the councils expected to host such a meeting.
However, instead of a single gathering, rival groups reportedly convened separate meetings at different venues, a development observers see as indicative of unresolved internal differences.
Findings revealed that one faction aligned with former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, held a separate meeting attended by party leaders, aspirants, commissioners, and special advisers within the local government.
Another meeting, with a similar objective, was reportedly held by party members loyal to the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, under the leadership of Hon. Salisu Maje Ahmad Gwangwazo and Malam Muhammad Ibrahim Kankarofi, with several party stakeholders in attendance.
Sources said the meetings were part of preparations for the forthcoming party congresses and were meant to deliberate on strategies and adopt resolutions on the party’s future. However, the decision by rival groups to meet separately suggests lingering divisions within the Kano APC.
A similar incident was reported in the Dawakin-Tofa/Tofa/Rimingado Federal Constituency, where supporters of different APC aspirants allegedly clashed during a stakeholders’ unity meeting over the weekend.
The meeting, which was intended to strengthen party cohesion, was reportedly disrupted following heated exchanges among supporters of prominent political figures in the constituency.
The area is considered politically sensitive due to intense competition for influence. According to sources, the disruption began after a former NNPP women leader in Dawakin Tofa who recently defected to the APC, Hajiya Hasiya Aminu, openly criticised the House of Representatives member representing the constituency, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe.
Hasiya reportedly described the lawmaker as underperforming and urged him to emulate other political leaders in the area. Her remarks allegedly angered Jobe’s supporters, leading to a rowdy session that forced the meeting to end abruptly.
The gathering was said to be the first attempt to bring together most political stakeholders and aspirants in the constituency.
Reacting to the developments, the APC spokesperson in Kano State, Ahmad Aruwa, dismissed claims of an internal crisis, insisting that party members have continued to coexist peacefully since the governor’s defection.
According to Aruwa, the party has not recorded any crisis, adding that the meetings were part of routine efforts to address minor political differences ahead of the party congresses.
“Since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf joined the APC, the party has remained peaceful. There is no rift within the APC. What is happening is normal in a democratic system where differences may arise before consensus is reached. Some local governments are simply fine-tuning preparations ahead of the congresses,” he said.
