Kwankwaso Opens Reconciliation Door to Estranged Kano Gov

Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has opened the door to reconciliation with his estranged successor, Governor Abba Yusuf, despite their prolonged political differences.

Kwankwaso, who is the Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election, made the remarks in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service.

The former governor said he still had affection for Yusuf and was prepared to forgive him if the Kano governor wanted to reconcile.

“I didn’t abandon him, didn’t ask him to go or dismiss him, I still like him,” Kwankwaso said during the interview.

The comments come months after a major political split between the two men following Yusuf’s defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Yusuf won the 2023 Kano governorship election on the NNPP platform with Kwankwaso’s backing and was previously regarded as a prominent figure in the Kwankwasiyya political movement.

Their relationship deteriorated after Yusuf left the NNPP and joined the APC alongside several state and federal lawmakers.

Kwankwaso said he was not a vindictive person and maintained that political disagreements should not prevent people from forgiving one another.

He cited his relationship with former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, with whom he had several political disagreements but later supported politically.

“How many times did I have issues with Ganduje? He challenged me on several occasions,” Kwankwaso said, recalling their history and political relationship.

He argued that tolerance was important in politics and that leaders should accept that people have different backgrounds, experiences, opinions and ways of reasoning.

Kwankwaso also said he did not dictate what people should do, stressing that anyone who wanted to return should be given room to do so.

He further maintained that political support should not be treated as a financial transaction, saying he did not demand money from individuals seeking his endorsement or political backing.

The latest comments could reopen discussions about the possibility of reconciliation between the former political allies, whose fallout has become one of the notable political disputes in Kano ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, there has been no indication from Yusuf in the latest remarks that he has accepted or initiated a reconciliation process with Kwankwaso.

The two politicians now remain on opposing political platforms, with Kwankwaso aligned with the NDC while Yusuf is a member of the APC.