From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has stepped into the brewing political crisis between Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, brokering a truce between the two influential APC leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.
The intervention came as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano intensifies efforts to close ranks and prevent internal disagreements from threatening its chances at the polls.
Barau represents Kano North Senatorial District, while Bichi represents Bichi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Both politicians are influential figures in Kano North.
The reconciliation meeting was held in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday and lasted for about two hours, according to the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kano Government House, Sunusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.
Dawakin-Tofa said the meeting gave the two politicians an opportunity to address their differences and agree on the need to work together for the interest of the APC.
Governor Yusuf urged Barau, Bichi and their supporters to sheathe their swords and put their grievances behind them, stressing that the party could only achieve victory in 2027 through unity and collective effort.
He particularly called on the two camps to stop inflammatory remarks, personal attacks and other actions capable of worsening the disagreement.
“Henceforth, I do not expect any of your supporters to come out and abuse one another. We must put a stop to this unnecessary distraction,” the governor was quoted as saying.
Yusuf also urged APC members to put the overall interest of the party above personal differences and work for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Kano State Government and all APC candidates in 2027.
The governor noted that disagreements were part of democratic politics but should be resolved through dialogue, consultation and mutual respect rather than allowed to weaken the party.
Dawakin-Tofa said the reconciliation had received the endorsement of President Tinubu and marked the end of a major misunderstanding between Barau and Bichi.
He quoted Governor Yusuf as assuring the President, APC National Chairman, Kano State Chairman and other stakeholders that the party would win all elective positions in the state in the 2027 elections.
Following the meeting, both Barau and Bichi separately called on their supporters to stop fuelling the disagreement and reaffirmed their loyalty to the APC.
The two leaders also expressed appreciation to Governor Yusuf for intervening in the dispute and helping to broker what they described as a truce and lasting reconciliation.
The development is expected to ease tensions within the Kano APC and strengthen the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
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