A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Seyi Olorunsola, has declared that the party will comfortably deliver President Bola Tinubu, its governorship candidate, and all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 general election without the involvement of former governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has reportedly indicated interest in joining the ruling APC but on the condition of receiving “strong promises” from the president and the party leadership.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Kano on Sunday, Olorunsola, who is the Convener of the Tinubu/Barau/Atah Movement, accused President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, of giving Kwankwaso undue attention.
He stressed that the APC in Kano has perfected a winning strategy that does not rely on the former governor’s influence.
He argued that Kwankwaso cannot match the combined political weight of Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Minister of State for Housing Yusuf Abdullahi Atah, and Senator Kawu Sumaila.
“Yusuf Abdullahi Atah is from Kano Central; he will checkmate Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from that zone. Kano North has Barau Jibrin and former governor and immediate past APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, while Kano Southern District has Senator Kawu Sumaila. By our calculation, we have a formidable campaign team for the 2027 general polls,” he said.
Olorunsola further disclosed that the Tinubu/Barau/Atah Movement is projecting Barau Jibrin as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Kano, with Atah as his running mate.
He alleged that Kwankwaso’s push to join APC is a strategy to disrupt this arrangement and pave the way for Governor Abba Yusuf’s re-election.
“Kwankwaso is aware of this arrangement and is afraid of Barau’s growing popularity in the state. That is why he is desperate to join APC and scuttle that arrangement,” he stated.
Olorunsola also revisited the controversial 2023 governorship election in Kano, claiming that APC won at the polls, tribunal, and Court of Appeal before the Supreme Court reversed the verdict.
“The tribunal and Court of Appeal affirmed our victory, saying Abba Yusuf was not a member and candidate of the NNPP, and that they thumb-printed illegal ballot papers. They were already packing out of Government House when everything changed overnight at the Supreme Court. The whole world is a witness to what happened,” he said.
He cautioned President Tinubu against overestimating Kwankwaso’s political value in the state.
“President Tinubu should not make the mistake of thinking Kwankwaso will deliver him in Kano. Tinubu is not the sole owner of APC. He is the leader of the party and president of the country. He cannot tell us what to do to win Kano; he can only advise us as a leader,” Olorunsola maintained.
He added that Kwankwaso must follow due process at the state, local government, and ward levels if he truly intends to join APC.
“Like Dr. Ganduje has told him, he must obey APC’s rules and regulations, constitution, and the party’s principles and ideologies. Why is Kwankwaso talking about a letter, submitted or not on social media? He should come out clear that he is not joining APC,” Olorunsola concluded