President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has reportedly agreed to meet with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, following a meeting with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, who is Kwankwaso’s godson. According to sources, Governor Yusuf may have played a role in facilitating the potential meeting between Tinubu and Kwankwaso to discuss the possibility of Kwankwaso defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has met with President Tinubu on several occasions, but the two have yet to reach an agreement on certain conditions. Recently, Kwankwaso stated that he would not defect to the APC without knowing what benefits he and his supporters would gain. However, a reliable source within the APC has indicated that President Tinubu is willing to meet with Kwankwaso to discuss his potential defection.
The APC chairman in Kano State, Abdullahi Abbas, declined to comment on the speculated meeting between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso. However, he noted that if Governor Yusuf were to join the APC, he would become the leader of the party in the state, according to the party’s accepted position. Abbas added that Governor Yusuf would be the party leader, while other prominent figures, including former Governor Ganduje and potentially Kwankwaso, would be considered “political fathers” if they were to defect to the APC.
The potential defection of Kwankwaso and Governor Yusuf to the APC could have significant implications for the political landscape in Kano State and Nigeria as a whole. The NNPP has been a major player in the state’s politics, and the loss of its key figures could impact the party’s fortunes in future elections. The meeting between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso, if it takes place, is expected to be a crucial step in determining the next course of action for the parties involved.
