Kwankwaso Set to Meet Tinubu as Details of Kano Governor Yusuf’s Closed-Door Talks With President Emerge

Fresh political realignments may be underway ahead of the 2027 general elections as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly preparing to meet Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections. This development follows a recent high-level meeting between the President and Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, which has fueled speculation about possible defections and political recalculations within the opposition.

According to reports, Governor Yusuf met President Tinubu on Monday, January 19, in Abuja, in what sources described as a strategic discussion centered on Kano politics and the future of the NNPP leadership. The meeting, which reportedly lasted about an hour, was attended by key figures in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, APC National Chairman Professor Yilwatda Nentawe, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Insiders disclosed that the talks were largely focused on the political influence of Kwankwaso, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, and the conditions under which he might be persuaded to align with the APC. While there have been persistent rumours of Governor Yusuf’s imminent defection from the NNPP to the APC, sources suggested that the governor’s visit was primarily aimed at convincing President Tinubu to personally engage Kwankwaso, after Yusuf’s own attempts reportedly failed.

“The issue of Kwankwaso is what really matters to Mr President,” a source familiar with the meeting revealed. “Nothing much was discussed beyond how to persuade him to join the APC. The governor made it clear that his personal efforts to bring Kwankwaso on board had not yielded results.”

The source further explained that President Tinubu’s planned meeting with Kwankwaso is seen as a last-minute effort to break the former Kano governor’s resistance and potentially neutralise his influence ahead of future elections. Kwankwaso remains a significant political force in Kano and parts of the North-West, with a loyal grassroots following that could prove decisive in 2027.

Amid widespread speculation, claims that Governor Yusuf demanded automatic tickets for himself and defecting lawmakers at both the National and State Assembly levels were firmly dismissed. According to the source, such demands were never raised during the meeting. “No governor dares look into the president’s eyes and make that demand,” the source said, describing such reports as exaggerated and misleading.

The unfolding developments highlight the intense political manoeuvring already taking shape less than two years into Tinubu’s administration. Analysts note that Kano State remains a critical battleground in national politics, and securing the allegiance of its dominant political figures could significantly reshape the balance of power.

While it remains unclear whether Kwankwaso will accept Tinubu’s invitation or agree to any form of political alliance, the anticipated meeting is widely viewed as a crucial moment that could redefine relationships within both the ruling party and the opposition. For now, all eyes remain on Abuja as Nigerians await the outcome of what may become one of the most consequential political engagements on the road to 2027