Defection rumours: Kano Senator Hanga consults political base

By Musa Baba Adamu

Senator representing Kano Central, Rufai Sani Hanga, has begun wide-ranging consultations with political associates and grassroots leaders amid growing speculation that he may be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

As part of the consultations, Hanga met with constituency coordinators from the 15 local government areas that make up Kano Central to discuss recent political developments and seek their input on the future of his political movement.

According to a statement shared on the senator’s official social media platforms, the meeting centered on key political issues affecting his political structure and the direction it should take ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The statement noted that Hanga specifically sought the views of the coordinators on the possibility of joining another political party, stressing that no final decision would be taken without consulting key stakeholders within his political family.

“The meeting forms part of the senator’s continuous engagement with critical stakeholders in his political family ahead of any major decision concerning his political future,” the statement read.

Although the senator did not identify the party under consideration, the consultations have fueled speculation that he could defect to the APC as political alignments intensify across Kano State and the country ahead of the next general election.

Hanga, who was elected to the Senate on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), later aligned with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) after a brief stint in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and has remained a prominent figure in Kano politics.

His latest consultations followed recent meetings with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, further strengthening reports of possible political realignment.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Chairman of the NNPP, Alhaji Hashimu Dungurawa, has dismissed suggestions that Hanga is set to abandon the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Dungurawa maintained that the senator personally assured him of his loyalty to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya political family.

“Senator Hanga told me himself that never in his life will he drop his loyalty to Kwankwaso and shun the Kwankwasiyya movement. This he personally confirmed to me,” Dungurawa said.