President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is said to have agreed in principle to hold a meeting with former Kano State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, amid growing speculation over a possible political realignment.
Credible sources disclosed that the anticipated meeting may have been facilitated by Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who is Kwankwaso’s political protégé. According to the sources, discussions are expected to centre on Kwankwaso’s possible decision to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), potentially alongside his supporters.
Although Senator Kwankwaso has reportedly met President Tinubu on several occasions in the past, insiders revealed that previous engagements did not yield an agreement, largely due to unresolved conditions allegedly put forward by the former Kano governor.
The renewed speculation follows recent reports suggesting that Governor Yusuf may be considering a move from the NNPP to the APC. Commenting on the matter earlier, Kwankwaso was quoted as saying that he would not defect to the APC without clarity on what he and his supporters stood to gain from such a move.
However, an impeccable source within the APC revealed that President Tinubu is now willing to engage Kwankwaso directly to discuss the political future of the NNPP leader and the possibility of his alignment with the ruling party.
“The President has agreed, in principle, to meet with Senator Kwankwaso. The discussions are expected to focus on his conditions and how his political structure could fit into the APC,” the source said.
When contacted, the Kano State Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Abbas, declined to comment on the reported planned meeting between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso. He, however, offered clarity on the party’s internal leadership dynamics in the event of Governor Yusuf’s defection.
Abbas stated that should Governor Yusuf formally join the APC as a sitting governor, he would automatically assume leadership of the party in the state, in line with the APC’s established convention.
“It is my personal opinion that Governor Yusuf, after joining us, becomes the leader of the party in Kano State,” Abbas said. “Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and possibly Senator Kwankwaso, if he agrees to defect, would then be regarded as our political fathers.”
The unfolding political manoeuvres have generated significant interest in Kano State and beyond, given Kwankwaso’s substantial grassroots following and influence in northern Nigerian politics.
Political observers believe that any alliance between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso could have far-reaching implications for the balance of power ahead of future elections, particularly in Kano, a state with one of the largest voting populations in the country.
As of press time, neither Senator Kwankwaso nor Governor Yusuf had officially confirmed plans to defect or the proposed meeting with the President.
