Fresh political tremors are rippling through Kano State following revelations that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf held a late-night, closed-door meeting with his political benefactor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, before quietly flying out of the country to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in France.
According to multiple sources familiar with the development, the governor paid a discreet visit to Kwankwaso’s Miller Road residence in Kano on Tuesday, arriving around midnight in a private vehicle. He was said to be accompanied by an intermediary identified as Sarkin Gobir (not the Emir of Gobir), a figure reportedly drafted to help broker the sensitive conversation.
The meeting, which allegedly lasted over an hour, was said to be part of a final and desperate effort by the governor to persuade Kwankwaso to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move sources claim was strongly encouraged by the presidency.
However, indications suggest that the mission failed.
Barely a day after the nocturnal meeting, Kwankwaso addressed supporters at his residence, delivering a pointed message that many interpreted as a direct rebuttal of overtures from both Kano Government House and Abuja.
“Betrayal is never good,” Kwankwaso declared. “Everybody can see how that party is steadily losing the sympathy of Nigerians, particularly in terms of insecurity and the economy.
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“People often say everyone has a price. If you are looking for someone without a price tag, come to Rabiu Kwankwaso.”
By Friday, Governor Yusuf had reportedly travelled to France, where President Tinubu is currently based, ostensibly to brief him on the outcome of the Kano meeting and to re-evaluate the political roadmap ahead of his anticipated defection to the APC.
Political insiders say the governor’s move toward the ruling party has not unfolded as smoothly as expected. While several NNPP lawmakers at both state and federal levels, as well as some local government chairmen, are reportedly moving with the governor, the heart of the party’s grassroots structure appears firmly loyal to Kwankwaso.
“The backlash in Kano caught APC powerbrokers off guard,” a source said. “Kwankwasiyya supporters have made it very clear where they stand. Kwankwaso is gaining sympathy across the state.”
Another source warned that should Governor Yusuf formally defect, the political fallout could paradoxically strengthen Kwankwaso’s influence.
“If Abba joins APC, any candidate backed by Kwankwaso may benefit from a sympathy surge,” the source added.
Despite the resistance, insiders insist that the presidency remains keen on pulling Kwankwaso into the APC fold, prompting what they describe as a last-minute push to soften his stance.
“The reaction of the people is exactly why the pressure has intensified,” a party source disclosed. “They still want Kwankwaso.”
Meanwhile, key APC figures in Kano, including former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, state APC chairman Abdullahi Abbas, Nasiru Gawuna, and Murtala Garo have returned to Nigeria following end-of-year holidays and religious engagements, signalling heightened political consultations.
Governor Yusuf is expected to conclude talks with these party leaders before making any formal announcement on his next political move.
For now, Kano watches, caught between midnight negotiations, grassroots defiance, and high-level power plays stretching from Miller Road to France.
