Former APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has returned from a holiday in Dubai, arriving in Lagos on Saturday, as Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf prepares to defect to the APC from the NNPP.
Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who previously served as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and as a two-term Governor of Kano State, ended his extended stay in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Saturday at approximately 4:30 p.m. via an Emirates Airline flight. He is scheduled to continue to Abuja later that evening at 8 p.m.
This return coincides with significant political shifts in Kano, where Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's anticipated move from the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC has generated excitement within the ruling party. Sources close to the government indicate that 'there is no going back in the defection of Governor Yusuf to APC,' despite opposition from elements within the Kwankwasiyya movement.
A statement from Mohammed Garba, Ganduje's former Chief of Staff, outlined plans for the returned leader to engage in consultations and meetings with stakeholders to assess the evolving political situation in Kano State. These discussions aim to review the landscape and foster dialogue among party leaders. Ganduje is also set to participate in the APC's nationwide electronic membership registration exercise, an initiative he introduced during his tenure to update and modernize the party's database.
The potential defection has split opinions among Kwankwasiyya supporters, with some viewing it as beneficial for the movement's future, while its leader, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has publicly distanced himself from the decision. This development could influence the dynamics of the 2027 general elections in Kano and beyond, as the APC seeks to consolidate its position.
Ganduje's engagements underscore his ongoing commitment to bolstering APC structures, particularly in Kano, through inclusive strategies and democratic practices.
