Ganduje welcomes Kwankwaso APC return talks but insists on due process, stressing that party rules, constitution, and discipline cannot be compromised for anyone.
The unfolding drama over Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s possible return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked renewed debate in Nigeria’s political arena.
Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, immediate past National Chairman of the APC and former Governor of Kano State, has welcomed the idea of reconciliation but with a firm condition: any Kwankwaso APC return must follow established party rules, not personal terms.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Ganduje emphasized that the APC cannot abandon its constitution or lower its standards for any individual, regardless of political stature.
He explained that while the ruling party operates an open-door policy, returning members must submit themselves to its internal structures.
“Anyone who wishes to come back is welcome,” Ganduje said.
“But our party has a constitution, and we cannot bend the rules for anyone.
“If Kwankwaso returns, we will accept him, but let us call it what it is—someone who once spat something out now turning back to lick it again.”
This vivid metaphor underscores the long-running Ganduje Kwankwaso rivalry, which has shaped Kano’s political space for nearly a decade.
Kwankwaso, who governed Kano for two terms, once enjoyed Ganduje’s loyalty as deputy.
But their alliance collapsed after Ganduje succeeded him in 2015 and consolidated his hold on the state by winning reelection in 2019.
Their fallout led Kwankwaso to leave the APC, ultimately becoming the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Kwankwaso remains a formidable political force. His Kwankwasiyya Movement still commands massive grassroots loyalty, particularly in Kano and parts of northern Nigeria.
In the 2023 elections, the NNPP stunned observers by winning the Kano governorship, gaining several legislative seats, and showing its ability to challenge the APC’s dominance in the region.
However, despite his strong base, Kwankwaso fell short of mounting a serious national challenge against the APC-led federal government.
Against this backdrop, Kwankwaso recently expressed readiness to discuss reconciliation.
During a meeting with Hon. Buhari Bakwana, a former political adviser to Ganduje, and grassroots APC leaders drawn from Kano’s 44 local government areas, Kwankwaso insisted that any talks of merging the NNPP with APC or of his personal return must come with concrete assurances.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions,” he declared.
“But we will not allow ourselves to be used and later abandoned.
“Discussions about a merger or return must clearly outline benefits for the NNPP and our supporters. We cannot afford to be treated as disposable political allies.”
His statement reflects deep caution born out of past political experiences. Kwankwaso has shifted between parties before, moving from PDP to APC, later founding his space in NNPP.
This time, he appears determined not to return without guarantees that his political movement will not be sidelined.
Yet Ganduje’s reply was clear-cut. The APC, he argued, is not built on individual negotiations but on a binding constitution.
“The APC is bigger than any single politician,” he explained.
“Whoever wishes to come back must accept the laid-down process. We cannot allow personal demands to override party discipline.”
This firm stance highlights the broader issue of Nigerian political defections. In Nigeria’s democratic system, party-hopping has become common, often driven more by personal ambition than ideological conviction.
Leaders frequently switch platforms to secure electoral advantage, while parties sometimes relax rules to accommodate powerful defectors.
Ganduje’s insistence on due process may therefore be seen as an attempt to shift this culture by reinforcing the supremacy of party institutions.
The stakes are especially high in Kano. As Nigeria’s most populous northern state, Kano is a political prize that often shapes national outcomes.
Any change in alliances there carries implications beyond the state itself. In the last general elections, Kwankwaso’s NNPP disrupted APC’s dominance, but APC still controls the federal government.
A reconciliation, therefore, could consolidate Kano votes for APC in future elections, while failure to reconcile could keep the ruling party vulnerable in the state.
Observers also note that the NNPP and APC merger talks are not only about Kano but about national strategy ahead of 2027.
Kwankwaso remains ambitious and may yet seek another shot at the presidency. For him, negotiating from outside the APC could prove limiting, but returning without guarantees could weaken his movement.
For the APC, integrating Kwankwaso could strengthen its northern base but might also create internal friction if not carefully managed.
The Kwankwaso APC return debate thus sits at the intersection of personal rivalry, party discipline, and Nigeria’s ever-shifting political alliances.
Ganduje’s sharp metaphor about “vomiting and licking it again” is more than a soundbite—it is a signal that the APC will not forget past betrayals even while keeping its doors open.
For Kwankwaso, the decision is equally complex. His grassroots strength gives him bargaining power, but his options are narrowing as the APC solidifies control at the national level.
Remaining outside may keep his movement alive but risks limiting his influence in national politics.
Rejoining APC may restore his relevance but could also mean surrendering some independence to party machinery controlled by former rivals.
As analysts point out, Nigerian politics is rarely static. Today’s adversaries often become tomorrow’s allies if interests align.
The rivalry between Kwankwaso and Ganduje is deep, but politics may yet force both men back into the same camp.
The unanswered question is whether such reconciliation would be driven by mutual trust or mere expediency.
For now, Ganduje’s message is unmistakable: the APC is open to reconciliation but on its own terms.
Kwankwaso, meanwhile, is signaling readiness to return but only with promises that protect his political base. The coming months will reveal whether either side is willing to compromise.
What is certain is that Kano will remain a critical battleground. If the two former allies reconcile, APC could consolidate Kano’s massive voting bloc ahead of 2027, strengthening its national dominance.
If talks fail, however, the Ganduje-Kwankwaso rivalry may continue to fracture northern politics and reshape Nigeria’s future electoral contests.
