There is strong indication that former deputy governor of Kano State, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna has concluded plans to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC) and join forces with the leader of the Kwankwsiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This is as it was gathered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has scaled up his lobby machinery to persuade Gawuna, who was the Governorship candidate of the APC in Kano not to abandon the APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
However, fillers emerging from the close political associates of Gawuna indicated that the move by Tinubu to placate the former deputy governor may have hit the brick wall as Gawuna has reportedly placed his phone on “flight mode” to wave off the pressure being mounted on him by Tinubu.
Multiple party sources disclosed that the efforts by Tinubu appear to have come a bit late to prevent the reported defection plans of Gawuna, who is a key political heavyweight in Kano State.
Information pieced together indicated that Gawuna, who is presently at the centre of intense political manoeuvring, may have made up his mind to move to the Kwankwasiyya Movement preparatory to the journey into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development which is expected to significantly alter the political dynamics of Kano State has sent jitters into the spines of the APC, a development that has given President Tinubu cause for concern as it is posited in the wider political circle that Gawuna defection from the APC would surely affect the fortunes of the ruling party in Kano State which has the largest voting population in the entire Northern Nigeria.
Accordingly, it was gathered that President Tinubu is leaving no stone unturned as he has mobilised some powerful and influential figures from within and outside Kano State to reach out and persuade Gawuna not to dump the APC at this critical time.
The difficulty being encountered however, is the fact that Gawuna has reportedly made himself incommunicado, thus made reaching him by the appointed stakeholders a difficult task.
For instance, attempts by senior stakeholders, including a powerful senator from Zamfara State and a presidential adviser to contact Gawuna were unsuccessful as the inability to reach him has further confirmed that he is deliberately avoiding calls amid mounting pressure to abandon his defection plans.
An APC insider familiar with the presidency’s thinking, said that President Tinubu considers the situation as critical not only for the Party’s fortune in Kano, but his broader political support base in the North.
“The president is really concerned about Gawuna’s defection plan. He understands that this is not just about Kano politics, it has implications for the party’s overall strength in the region,” the source said.
A political commentator, Aminu Bashir, stated that a potential alliance between Gawuna and Kwankwaso could prove decisive in Kano State.
“If Kwankwaso gives Gawuna the governorship ticket, it will be game over. Gawuna has a large support base across different segments of society. When you combine that with Kwankwaso’s established political machinery, it becomes a very difficult force to defeat,” Bashir explained.
This was as it was gathered that Gawuna, who performed the lesser pilgrimage (Umrah), later travelled to a North African country for a private vacation and placed his phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode, thereby shut out calls from people particularly political allies and party leaders seeking to reach out to him for discussion.
Checks indicated that Gawuna’s possible move to the ADC is not just a mere defection, but seen as a strategic realignment that is most likely going to reshape the political landscape of Kano State ahead of the 2027 general elections as his realignment with Senator Kwankwaso, leader of the influential Kwankwasiyya Movement may seriously unseat Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Already, the permutations and prospects of a Kwankwaso-Gawuna alliance is generating so much excitement within the Kwankwasiyya camp and supporters who see the move as a political masterstroke capable of delivering a decisive knockout ahead of 2027.
As part of what is seen as the commencement of the alignment, the Chief Iman of the Gawuna’s residential mosque, paid Sallah homage to Kwankwaso at his Miller Road residence in Kano, a development political event watchers interpreted as a sign of a new paradigm shift in the political calculations between the two camps.
The APC in Kano is believed to be so concerned over the development which its leaders see as a dangerous move that would weaken the structures of the party and also worsen the existing divisions.
As part of the weigh in options, the APC is presenting Gawuna with an automatic ticket for the Kano Central senatorial district in 2027 as against the governorship ticket which the defection of his arch rival, Governor Kabir Abba Yusuf has already negotiated and taken following his defection from the NNPP to the APC.
Political analysts say the concern is well-founded. Gawuna is widely regarded as one of the most formidable politicians in Kano, with a strong grassroots network and significant appeal among key demographics, including youth, religious leaders, and the business community.
It was gathered that Gawuna’s dissatisfaction with his treatment within the APC appears to be a major factor driving his defection plan as his supporters complained of complete sidelining since the 2023 elections despite his strong showing at the polls.
The supporters noted that Gawuna was not in any way rewarded just as they questioned what they noted as the inconsistencies in the APC’s reward system.
An APC stalwart said; “It is baffling for the party to elevate individuals who worked against its interests while sidelining someone who secured over 800,000 votes”.
There are also lingering concerns that Gawuna was not paid his entitlements as a former deputy governor by both Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the present state government, a development that may have contributed to the growing frustration within his camp which may have culminated into the defection move.
