Over 200,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have dismissed allegations of incompetence against the ministerial nominee, retired Hon. Yusuf Abdullah Atta, as baseless. Some APC members in Kano believe the allegations stem from personal grudges held by a few individuals who are not legitimate members of the party.

In a statement, Mustapha Gidan Magani, the secretary of APC Kwaciri Ward, on behalf of the entire executive committee of APC Fagge Local Government Area, rejected the allegations of anti-party activities during the 2023 general election. The executives argued that those intending to submit a petition to the Senate, claiming to represent 50,000 APC members, have no legal standing to make such claims.

The APC executives from Fagge Local Government Area are prepared to counter the petition, asserting that it will have little impact on the confirmation of Atta as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development. They expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for nominating Atta, highlighting his administrative skills and dedication to serving humanity.

Salisu Usman Karaskabuli, a youth activist of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano, has called for the immediate suspension of several high-ranking party members, including former governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, and Yahaya Bagobiri.

He accused them of sabotaging the party’s efforts in the state and hindering PDP’s progress in the region.

Addressing journalists in Kano, Salisu Karaskabuli alleged that Shekarau has engaged in anti-party activities during the 2023 governorship election.
“Despite being a PDP leader, the majority of his supporters backed the APC candidate,” Salisu Karaskabuli said.
He further claimed that Shekarau is already mobilizing his supporters to work for Senator Barau’s governorship ambitions in 2027, signaling ongoing disloyalty.

Salisu Karaskabuli also blamed the PDP National Vice Chairman for the Northwest Bello Hayatu Gwarzo for failing to unite the party across the region.
He noted that prominent PDP members, such as former governors Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Ramalan Yero of Kaduna, had defected to other parties due to Gwarzo’s ineffective leadership.
Concerning the recent PDP congress in Kano, Usman expressed frustration, rejecting the outcomes of the ward, local government, and state congresses.
He accused the leadership of the party for partisan zoning and disqualifying candidates without valid reasons.

Further accusations were leveled at Yahaya Bagobiri, the chairman of PDP elders in Kano.
Salisu Usman claimed that Bagobiri had leaked sensitive party information to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) leader Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Usman Karaskabuli called on the national leadership of the PDP to investigate the accused members and, if found guilty, take appropriate disciplinary action.

The accusations come at a time when the PDP in Kano and the wider Northwest is grappling with internal divisions, which some fear could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a surprising development, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus in Dorayi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area, Kano State, have come under scrutiny for their method of selecting a councillorship candidate.

Following the screening process, nine candidates were disqualified, leaving only two contenders for the position. According to reliable sources, when the APC ward Caucas were unable to reach a consensus on who should represent the party, they proposed an unusual solution.

The two remaining candidates were given 24 hours to deposit ₦2 million each into the account of the Caucas Chairman.

The source said “The following morning one of the candidates paid ₦1.7 million into the Caucas chairman’s account. Despite not meeting the full ₦2 million demand, the Caucas reportedly awarded him the councillorship ticket.”

This decision has sparked widespread discontent among other aspirants and party members, with many expressing outrage over the alleged monetization of the selection process.

Some candidates, who were excluded from the race, are reportedly planning to lodge formal complaints with the Kano State APC Chairman, arguing that the procedure undermines the principles of fairness and merit in the party.

“This is not how a democratic process should work,” said one of the aspirants who requested anonymity. “We are supposed to serve the people, not buy our way into the office. The leadership of our party must intervene and address this issue before it damages the party’s reputation.”

However, the chairman of the screening committee Ado Gambo Jaen confirmed that the committee requested 2 million naira from each of the two candidates, Ibrahim Adamu and Aliyu Ali Sango, to assess their readiness for the councillorship position.

While submitting their report to the APC Gwale local chairman, Ado Gambo Jaen said “We requested the money to see who among the candidates is truly ready to take on the role.” Ibrahim Adamu paid 1.7 million naira, securing his spot as the councillorship candidate.

The controversy highlights growing concerns about internal party politics within the APC, especially at the grassroots level, where money is increasingly seen as a deciding factor in elections.

As the dust settles, all eyes will be on how the Kano State party leadership responds to the allegations and whether any further action will be taken.