By any political barometer, the former governor of Kano State and former Minister of Defence, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is not your everyday Nigerian politician. He is a phenomenon, an institution built on charisma, grassroots connection, and stubborn ideological defiance.
For years, his political trajectory has been one of rebellion, reform, and resilience. He defied odds to become the governor of Kano State twice, navigated Nigeria’s tumultuous political waters as a senator, and in the 2023 general elections, led the New Nigeria People’s Party to a surprise “third force”. Yet, today, conversations are shifting: what if Kwankwaso makes the most dramatic move of his career by re-joining the All Progressives Congress?
This conversation is even more intense following the sudden resignation of the APC National Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje. While the public narrative suggests “internal restructuring”, insiders and analysts see the move as a calculated sacrifice, a strategic detour, to clear the path for Ganduje’s long-time rival and one of the most influential politicians in northern Nigeria to rejoin the party.
Ganduje’s resignation is more than just the fall of a party chieftain; it is a political brinksmanship aimed at leveraging the popularity of Kwankwaso in Kano State for a huge political fortune come the 2027 elections.
The Tinubu administration, increasingly criticised by northern elites for executing a “Yoruba agenda” and abandoning the region that largely installed it in power, now finds itself in urgent need of a northern political redeemer, someone with street credibility, cult-like grassroots following, and electoral weight to bridge a growing trust deficit.
For the APC, Kwankwaso fits the bill. His Kwankwasia Movement is a formidable political platform in Kano State and beyond. For Kwankwaso, this “invitation to power” could be the launch pad for the presidency he has long dreamt of.
If he chooses to align with the APC, it will be a gamble, but one with high stakes and possibly higher returns.
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