Kwankwaso reasserts political influence over Kano power bloc

…insists Ganduje, Gov Yusuf are his political sons

By Musa Baba Adamu

Former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has publicly reaffirmed his political dominance in Kano politics, insisting that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje both emerged under his mentorship.
Kwankwaso made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing loyalists of the Kwankwasiyya movement at his Miller Road residence in Kano amid renewed debate over political loyalty and succession within the state.
The former presidential candidate appeared to be responding to recent comments attributed to Governor Yusuf questioning why an older politician would still describe another senior political figure as “his boy.”
Reacting to the controversy, Kwankwaso jokingly told supporters that some individuals were no longer comfortable being associated with him politically.
“I was made to understand that a few don’t want to be referred to as my boy,” he said, drawing laughter from members of the gathering.
He, however, became more direct while speaking in Hausa, insisting that both Governor Yusuf and Abdullahi Umar Ganduje rose politically through his guidance and support.
“If it is not out of disrespect, will Abba Kabir Yusuf say he is not my political son? If it is not out of disrespect, will Abdullahi Umar Ganduje say he is not my political son?” Kwankwaso asked.
His comments were greeted with applause from supporters, many of whom see the former governor as the central figure behind Kano’s modern political structure.
The remarks also underline the continuing rivalry and political tension between Kwankwaso and Ganduje, whose relationship deteriorated after years of working together in government.
Although Ganduje has acknowledged their long political association, he has consistently rejected suggestions that he was merely a political subordinate to Kwankwaso.
In a previous BBC interview, Ganduje explained that he became Kwankwaso’s deputy after losing a primary election and noted that their second-term partnership was based on political calculations at the time, not a godfather arrangement.
The latest exchange highlights the enduring battle for political relevance, influence and legacy among Kano’s most powerful political actors as alignments ahead of future elections continue to take shape.