Kano APC Feud Erupts Over 2027 Endorsement

A significant rift has emerged within the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), throwing the party’s internal cohesion into jeopardy just as attention begins to turn towards the 2027 gubernatorial election. The crisis pits the state party chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, directly against a high-profile member of the Federal Executive Council, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Attah. The clash stems from the Minister’s public pronouncements concerning the party’s future leadership, specifically his alleged endorsement of Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau as the favoured candidate for the upcoming governorship race.

The controversy was ignited when Minister Attah reportedly went public with his support for Senator Barau, effectively jumping the gun on formal party processes and nominating a preferred aspirant three years ahead of the election. This unsolicited endorsement immediately drew a sharp rebuke from the party establishment in Kano. Chairman Abbas swiftly issued a stern letter to the Minister, characterizing the comments as “unguarded” and warning that such declarations could dangerously “create misunderstandings and disunity within the party.” Abbas underscored the constitutional mandate of the party leadership, emphasizing that all internal party affairs, especially matters related to nomination and endorsement, fall “strictly under the purview of the APC leadership and its designated spokespersons.” He did not shy away from raising the specter of punitive measures, concluding his warning with a clear statement that failure to comply with this directive could result in disciplinary action. The chairman’s forceful reaction suggests a deep-seated concern that such premature endorsements threaten the delicate internal equilibrium and could ignite factional infighting long before the campaign season officially begins.

In a swift counter-response issued through his publicity aide, Seyi Olorunsola, Minister Attah staunchly defended his remarks, framing them not as an attempt to hijack party machinery but as a legitimate exercise of his “democratic rights.” The Minister’s defence portrayed his statements as mere “personal assessments aimed at providing strategic political insight,” rather than official, binding party declarations. He was careful to reiterate his unshakeable loyalty to the APC and to President Bola Tinubu, aiming to insulate himself from accusations of disloyalty or anti-party activity. Attah insisted that his public backing of Senator Barau was purely “intended as a patriotic opinion on the party’s prospects in the 2027 elections,” and not an “attempt to override party structures.” By couching his comments in terms of patriotism and democratic expression, the Minister sought to present himself as a concerned stakeholder attempting to guide the party toward a viable electoral choice, rather than a renegade attempting to undermine the chairman’s authority.

Furthermore, the Minister used his response to caution against the publicizing of internal disagreements. He pointedly warned against “dragging internal party disagreements into the public sphere,” particularly at a time when the nation is confronting critical challenges, including pressing security concerns. This attempt to elevate the discussion to national interest suggests a political tactic aimed at deflecting criticism and questioning the chairman’s judgment in escalating the matter. Attah maintained that his initial comments were not made in a vacuum but were informed by his “long-standing engagement with the grassroots” and were fundamentally meant to “encourage discussion and debate within the party ahead of formal nomination processes.” In essence, he argued that robust debate over future leadership is necessary for the party’s health, even if it causes temporary friction.

The unfolding feud in Kano APC is reflective of the perennial struggle for control and influence within Nigeria’s political parties, where the line between personal ambition and party directive is frequently blurred. The chairman’s perspective is one of maintaining institutional discipline and order, ensuring that the party’s official structures control the timeline and discourse surrounding the nomination process. Conversely, the Minister’s position champions the right to free expression and early political strategizing, suggesting that grassroots voices should not be stifled simply to maintain a facade of monolithic party consensus. This public spat serves as a clear indication that the race for the 2027 ticket has already begun, and the Kano APC leadership faces a significant challenge in managing the ambitions of its powerful members while maintaining unity in the face of external opposition. The disciplinary consequences hinted at by Chairman Abbas loom large, promising a further escalation should Minister Attah continue to articulate his “strategic political insights” outside the channels deemed acceptable by the state party leadership.