From Abba Anwar

All Progressives Congress (APC) is the ruling party at the national level, and opposition party in Kano state. Before 2023 general elections in Kano, the party was under the “mercy” and influence of the leadership. While party “elders” were described and seen as political messiah, to the then political realities.

Both categories did their best to the party, in approaches they thought were suitable and fit for the survival of the party, after election period of 2023. Actions and inactions from both leadership and followership standpoints gave birth to new normals, new realities and new understanding of life in post election period.

The disfigured nature of APC in Kano, its mutilated and diluted structure forced party members and party supporters to describe some experiences, as children of necessity. While some positions taken by leadership and elders, in pre-election, during election and post-election periods were seen as self-styled decisions. This is just an impression of some observers.

In pre-election period, people like Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum and Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, among others, stand a better position to give clearer and vivid account for that scenario. Whether the treatment and design then were dicey or not, only these gentlemen and few others can explain with perfect precision. They were more or less victims of the situation then.

His Excellency the then Deputy Governor, and 2023 Gubernatorial candidate, His Excellency Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and his running mate His Excellency Murtala Sule Garo, stand a better position to give good account of what transpired amongst leaders and elders during election period. Including some aspects of pre-election engagement.

Especially when they cast their mind back and observe what role did the then Governor of Kaduna state played, during proper election period. Up to the time when election result was announced. Including other attending circumstances.

During post-election period some decisions taken by both the leadership and followership, could better be swapped with indecision. Looking at the consequences erupted from within. When leadership and elders are busy singing party cohesion and commitment, followers are always busy chanting songs of praises and condemnation against each other within the same APC in the state.

Without the support, either directly or indirectly, of some sections of the leadership and elders, such divided stances against each other wouldn’t have been so pronounced and entrenched within the fabric of the party. In clearer terms, some of the leaders and elders, have never been genuine and honest in their call for a united party.

Part of the reasons that prompted genuine party people like Hon Sabi’u Barista Baburi, to come up in clearer terms and condemn the actions of some of our leaders and elders.

What is more fascinating is the fact that some prominent leaders within the higher part of the ladder, are always up and doing in directing their followers, genuine and pretenders, that united party should always be the key. Let me give an example with three gentlemen who excel in this area. I mean the area of making sure that, the party waxes stronger and united.

The names are presented here in accordance with the alphabetical arrangement. These are His Excellency Distinguished Senator Barau I Jibrin, Deputy Senate President, His Excellency Murtala Sule Garo, former Deputy Gubernatorial candidate in 2023 election and His Excellency Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, former Gubernatorial candidate in 2023 election.

For each one of them, I have concrete examples that none of them wants to see to the disintegration of the party. They love the party and always work in the direction of their conviction.

To call a spade a spade, I’m yet to meet one single person who says Senator Barau gave a marching order for his people to go and castigate any party member, either leader or follower. The same thing applies to both Garo and Gawuna. All the trio are reserved, humble, receptive, strategic and too much believe in the party hegemony.

Many at times when trouble makers report any ploy against Barau, either true or false, to his ears, he is pond of saying “Don’t mind, these are all political engagement. Just go and work for the party. We don’t have time to waste.” In fact some people around him, blame him for being too lenient to his detractors. This is my honest understanding of him.

For Garo, after dismissing such backbiting behaviors, he will tell you to your face, “Malam go and work for the survival of the party. What binds us all is the party. So please go and concentrate on party activities.”

I still remember vividly clear, when an association was floated within the party and such move was reported to Garo, at the formative stage of the group, informing him that, so so group was in place not for the integration of the party. But for campaigning in favour of so so person, against 2027. He outrightly discouraged and dismissed the rumor mongers with this simple statement “Since they are working for the party, there is no point in rejecting their efforts. No matter what.”

In pre-election period, in one of the stakeholders meeting that was held in Africa House, Government House, Kano, Gawuna said to the faces of all that time, including the then Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, ” There are people coming to tell me many things about others in this great party. I’m warning for the last time, if they didn’t stop I will start exposing them one after the other immediately.” It is obvious that Gawuna was faced with such divide-and-get-influence style, may be, from some sections of the leadership or elders or followership or even a mixture of all.

It was so glaring in pre-election period, when Gawuna-Garo ticket was the talk of town, there were supporters of both sides of the coin, I mean from Gawuna side and Garo side, I said some of their supporters, were busy castigating each other’s boss, as if the political marriage was forced on them all.

It was very easy for Gawuna supporters (some of them), either as kitchen cabinet or mere well wishers, to see them condemning Garo for reasons best known to them. The same thing applied to Garo side. But what was interesting at the time was, none of the candidates, Gawuna and Gawo, was seen clearly supporting such erring and derailing supporters.

What put such people to shame was, the kind of respect and consideration, Garo shows to Gawuna. From day one to date. Some people, from the party, went to the extent that, they were happy that APC didn’t make it at the Supreme Court. Their reason? Had it been APC emerged victorious at the Supreme Court in 2023, Garo would have been sidelined since by now. This is their understanding of it. To me this is hallucinations in its best form. It is even very pathetic and annoying to think in this direction.

To me, Senator Barau’s domineering influence and exposure in national politics, call for his relevance at the national level come 2027. This is just my personal opinion. Let APC, not Kano APC alone, work for Barau, lobby on his behalf, for a position closer to the corridor of power, at the higher level, not state. It should be an elective position, anyway. His pedigree, expertise in governance, experience and knowledge of global political arrangement, set him above his contemporaries.

For Gawuna – Garo ticket, it can still be maintained and it can try frontside-backside switchover, depending on the situation and circumstance. The way I see it is, there are people disguising as genuine in the chemistry of APC in Kano, but they are nothing but fake, fake and fake!

The way I see it is this, at the instance of leadership failure to mend fences within the party, I suggest other groups should wade in, in earnest and save the situation. Groups like past local government chairmen of the APC, under the aegis of their association, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria ( ALGON). They are still in touch with the grassroot.

We have a pool of legal luminaries, among them are Senior Advocates of Nigeria, retired Judges and Magistrates, etc, let’s leverage on that and put things in proper perspective. If all-politicians strategy is sending the party to ditches, let’s try a mixture of politicians and professionals to reach the promised land.

What is more attractive and fragile is the issue of who becomes what in the forthcoming 2027 elections. Especially that of gubernatorial candidate. Yes concensus is allowed in politics. But race is also a significant pillar in politics. Whatever concensus the party is interested in, it must be honest, patriotic with full fledged integrity. There is no harm in conducting primary elections of all positions.

It is also the sole responsibility of the party and logic to either go my way of thinking, in terms of gubernatorial and deputy gubernatorial candidature come 2027, or another workable and feasible arrangement can come up and play magic. Among Barau, Gawuna and Garo, they may have things or features in common. And each one of them has his peculiarities. This is my firm belief and conviction. And I don’t blame anybody for anything if he or she has a counter position.

My advice also to leaders is, let us not witness the same situation as when Senator Kawu Sumaila, Rep Kabiru Rurum, and others, were forced out of the party in the name of concensus or party arrangement. Whatever arrangement or concensus is opted for, it should be with honesty, integrity, absolute commitment to truth and maturity. Anything below this, is negation to party survival and enhancement process.

What is more disheartening is this, that among leaders and elders of the party, keeping the party in disarray is more profitable to them than peaceful assembly. Very disheartening and ridiculous!

For instance, what is the benefit and importance of forwarding arguments of who is APC leader in Kano? When late President Muhammadu Buhari was alive and in control as the President, still at that time, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was seen, regarded and accepted as the Leader of the party. What position in our constitution that is above being President? So even President then was not regarded as the Leader. It was Tinubu who was regarded as such.

What then is the problem in this needless argument of between Ganduje and Barau who is the leader of APC in Kano? If Tinubu could be leader above Buhari, then what is the problem of Ganduje being a leader above Barau? This unnecessary and needless argument, is not doing any good for the party. This, is just standing logic on its head.

For Barau, Ganduje is still a leader in Kano APC. Can’t you see the kind of respect accorded to Ganduje by Barau whenever they meet, either in private or in the public? So of what benefit is the argument searching for who is a leader between the duo? Is very unnecessary, crafty and ill-intentioned.

Attention should not be restricted to who is the leader and who is the follower. If we are genuine, honest and committed, this sort of debate is waste of time and energy. What we are after now is, who does what in repositioning the party in Kano?

If politics is an art then Barau is one of the finest artists. But this is not our concern now. Our concern is how do we reposition the party in Kano. When issues are not handle properly, we will be left with the confusion of not knowing who is home and dry among all.

Attention to detail is my last statement.

Anwar writes from Kano
Saturday, 18th October, 2025