The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State is facing a deepening internal crisis, one that threatens its chances of reclaiming power from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The latest flashpoint? A battle over leadership, with Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Atta, openly rejecting the state party chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, who has been backed for another term by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
At a recent Fagge APC Caucus meeting in Kano, Atta did not mince words, as he declared that the party stood no chance of reclaiming the state in 2027 under Abbas’ leadership. More significantly, he issued a direct threat: if Abbas remains, he and his supporters would walk away from the party.
Atta’s argument goes beyond political strategy; he frames the loss in moral and spiritual terms. “Votes do not give power, money cannot buy power, and even the people do not ultimately decide who rules,” he asserted, claiming that APC lost not due to electoral miscalculations but because they “challenged God.”
But what does this rhetoric mean for the party’s future? Will a spiritual narrative resonate with disenchanted supporters, or will it deepen divisions in a state where political loyalty is often shaped by pragmatic concerns rather than ideological purity?
Atta’s defection, should it happen, would be more than symbolic. Kano remains a crucial battleground state, and the APC cannot afford to alienate key political figures who command grassroots influence. If dissatisfied members begin to break away, the NNPP could consolidate its hold on Kano, further diminishing APC’s prospects in the region.
Moreover, this crisis raises a larger question: Is the APC leadership at the national level willing to risk Kano’s strategic importance over Ganduje’s loyalty to Abbas? If the party fails to address these internal grievances, it risks becoming a fractured entity, with factions pulling in opposite directions ahead of 2027.
