Gawuna Stays with NDC Despite APC Moves Ahead of 2027

Former Kano State deputy governor Nasir Gawuna is not likely to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). This comes even after many of his key political allies left for the ruling party. The speculation around his possible return grew following the defection of some of his close associates.

The group that defected was led by Badaru Umar, who is a close ally of Mr Gawuna and was once the chairman of Ungogo Local Government. On September 1, Mr Umar took a group of Mr Gawuna’s prominent supporters, including his younger brother Mansur, to meet with Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and Deputy Governor Murtala Garo.

The group also included Ali Datti-Yako, the state deputy chairman of the NDC, and others like Uba Danzainab, Aminu Faruk, Sani Jibrin, Salisu Muhammad, Musa Indabo, Muhammad Bala, Hassan Abdullahi, and Abdurrahman Muhammad. After their visit, they officially rejoined the APC on September 5.

This move raised more questions about whether Mr Gawuna would follow them to the APC. Speaking on Lumana Radio on Monday, Mr Umar explained that their decision to return to the APC came from a wish to support the development plans of Governor Yusuf’s administration. He said, "We returned to the APC because we believe it is the right platform to achieve our political goals."

He added, "We initially led Mr Gawuna to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), then to the NDC, hoping to secure a governorship ticket for him, but that did not happen. While we decided and returned to the APC, Mr Gawuna insisted on remaining with the NDC, where he was offered a senatorial ticket for the Kano Central District."

Mr Umar mentioned that even though they could not get the governorship ticket for Mr Gawuna, they could not convince him to go back to the APC. This makes it very unlikely for him to rejoin the party before the 2027 elections. Mr Gawuna’s decision not to return to the APC comes after feeling sidelined within the party. He got over 800,000 votes in the 2023 governorship race but still left the APC.

As part of his exit strategy, he resigned as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). After leaving the APC, Mr Gawuna went back to his former boss Rabiu Kwankwaso, under whom he served as Commissioner for Agriculture. In the 2023 governorship election, Mr Gawuna, as the APC candidate, received 890,705 votes but lost to Governor Yusuf, who had 1,019,602 votes.

Many of Mr Gawuna’s supporters are unhappy, feeling that the NDC did not treat him fairly by only offering a senatorial ticket. Mr Gawuna was deputy governor under Abdullahi Ganduje, who supported him during the last election. Mr Yusuf, on the other hand, had the backing of Mr Kwankwaso.

In September 2023, the Election Petition Tribunal canceled Governor Yusuf’s victory, throwing out 165,663 votes due to missing signatures and stamps. The Court of Appeal confirmed this decision in November 2023. But in January 2024, the Supreme Court reversed the lower courts’ decision and recognized Governor Yusuf as the legitimate Governor of Kano State.

After the governor joined the APC to run for a second term, Mr Gawuna moved to the ADC and later to the NDC.