Yusuf And Ganduje Hold Private Talks Over Kano Defections And Emirship Dispute

According to Ireporter Online, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, and his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, held a confidential meeting in Abuja to address rising political tensions in the state. Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that the meeting focused on recent party defections, the ongoing emirship dispute, and the vacant deputy governorship position.

The meeting comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections. Earlier, Ganduje reportedly met with President Bola Tinubu to brief him on the defection of former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Nasiru Gawuna and other emerging political challenges. Sources indicated that Ganduje expressed frustration over what he described as insufficient consultation by the presidency on party matters in Kano, which he believes has contributed to growing internal crises.

During the consultations, the president was said to have offered a ministerial position to Gawuna; however, Ganduje reportedly viewed the offer as untimely, noting that Gawuna had already defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The longstanding Kano emirship dispute was also discussed, with Ganduje reportedly supporting Emir Aminu Bayero’s claim to the throne and urging a swift resolution to prevent further political fallout.

The issue of the vacant deputy governorship was another key point of discussion. Ganduje is said to have advocated for Murtala Garo to be appointed to the position, suggesting that the move could stabilize the party, curb defections, and strengthen its electoral prospects. Governor Yusuf, however, reportedly requested additional time for consultations before making a final decision.

Sources confirmed that Governor Yusuf arrived at Ganduje’s residence on Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro, around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, accompanied by his son Al-Amin Yusuf and political strategist Mohammed Jamu. They were received by Ganduje’s protocol officer, Adamu Unguwar Gini, and former presidential aide Nasiru Ja’oji. Later, federal lawmaker Abubakar Bichi joined the meeting. Discussions reportedly concluded at approximately 2:40 a.m., focusing on party unity, curbing defections, and resolving the emirship crisis ahead of the 2027 elections.