JUST IN: Kano APC Crisis Ends as Gwarzo Withdraws Senate Bid, Backs Barau Jibrin

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has successfully mediated a political reconciliation between two prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) figures in Kano North, ending weeks of internal rivalry and reshaping the contest ahead of the next election cycle.

The peace meeting, held on Tuesday night at the Kano Government House, brought together former Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, and Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who had been divided over the Kano North senatorial ticket.

Governor Yusuf Brokers Peace Deal Between Gwarzo and Barau in Kano APC

The outcome of the meeting was confirmed in an official statement issued on Wednesday by the Director General of Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

According to the statement, the reconciliation ended with Gwarzo voluntarily withdrawing from the senatorial race and declaring full support for Senator Barau Jibrin as the consensus APC candidate for Kano North.

The development is seen as a major step toward stabilising the APC structure in the district, where internal competition and factional disagreements had raised concerns about party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The high-level meeting was attended by key political stakeholders including Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo, former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations Abubakar Kabir Bichi, and Kano APC Chairman Umar Haruna Doguwa, alongside other senior party figures.

Party insiders described the intervention by Governor Yusuf as a strategic move aimed at reducing political tension and strengthening cohesion within the APC’s Kano North structure, which remains one of the most competitive senatorial districts in the state.

Sources at the meeting revealed that discussions focused on party unity, zoning considerations, and the need to avoid a divided front that could weaken the APC’s chances in the forthcoming elections.

Following the resolution, Gwarzo reportedly pledged to work with party stakeholders to ensure victory for the APC, describing his withdrawal as a sacrifice for collective progress and political stability within the party.

Senator Barau Jibrin, who currently serves as Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, commended Gwarzo for his decision, describing it as a gesture of statesmanship that would strengthen the APC’s electoral prospects in Kano North.

Political analysts say the development could significantly reshape the balance of power within the APC in Kano State, especially as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections.

Kano North senatorial district, which covers local government areas including Bichi, Gwarzo, Dambatta, and Karaye, has long been one of the most politically contested zones in the state.

Observers note that the reconciliation may also signal broader efforts to reduce factional disputes within the APC in Kano, as stakeholders push for a united front ahead of the next general elections.

JUST IN: Kano APC Crisis Ends as Gwarzo Withdraws Senate Bid, Backs Barau Jibrin

Makinde to Officially Declare 2027 Presidential Bid at Ibadan Mega Rally

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is expected to formally declare his 2027 presidential ambition on Thursday, May 14, during a major political gathering scheduled to hold at the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The event, tagged “Unity Mega Rally Ibadan 2026,” is being widely seen as the official launch of Makinde’s anticipated bid for Nigeria’s presidency, as well as a strategic unveiling of a broader political coalition involving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), and several political actors aligned with the governor’s growing national influence.

Sources familiar with the development revealed that preparations for the rally have intensified across Oyo State and parts of the South-West amid increasing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Grassroots mobilisers, youth organisations, political associates, and loyalists of the governor are reportedly coordinating support structures in anticipation of what many analysts describe as a major turning point in Nigeria’s opposition politics.

Political observers believe the latest moves form part of a larger strategy aimed at strengthening grassroots political networks across Oyo State and beyond while consolidating Makinde’s influence within the national opposition camp.

The development comes at a time when unresolved internal crises within the PDP continue to fuel uncertainty over the party’s future ahead of the next presidential election.

According to insiders, consultations among political stakeholders have intensified in recent weeks as several party loyalists and influential figures explore alternative political structures and coalition arrangements.

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Thursday’s rally is expected to attract political stakeholders, traditional leaders, community figures, youth groups, civil society organisations, and supporters from different parts of the country who identify with Makinde’s governance style and political direction.

Although Governor Makinde has not officially confirmed his intention to contest the presidency, support groups and close political allies have continued mounting pressure on him to formally join the race.

The governor has also made several political moves in recent months that analysts say point toward a broader national ambition.

Earlier this year, Makinde directed political appointees and elected office holders interested in contesting the 2027 elections to openly declare their ambitions and begin consultations within the PDP structure.

In April, the Oyo governor hosted a high-level opposition summit in Ibadan attended by prominent opposition figures and stakeholders discussing strategies for building a united political front ahead of 2027.

While addressing participants at the summit, Makinde maintained that the gathering was focused on strengthening democracy and deepening national development rather than targeting specific political opponents.

The choice of Mapo Hall for Thursday’s declaration is also considered politically symbolic due to the venue’s long-standing historical significance in Oyo State politics and governance.

Political analysts believe the rally could provide the clearest indication yet of Makinde’s political direction and possible coalition alignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Although it remains unclear whether the Oyo governor will eventually contest solely under the PDP or align with a broader opposition coalition, discussions surrounding possible alliances and power-sharing arrangements are said to be gaining momentum among opposition stakeholders nationwide.

The expected declaration is already generating fresh debate within Nigeria’s political space as opposition leaders intensify efforts to build a formidable platform capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC in the next general election.

Makinde to Officially Declare 2027 Presidential Bid at Ibadan Mega Rally

2027: Atiku Camp Warns Opposition Against Zoning Presidency to South

The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly opposed calls for the opposition to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, warning that such a strategy could hand President Bola Ahmed Tinubu an easy path to re-election.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday by Atiku’s media aide, Olusola Sanni, the former vice president’s camp described the growing demand for a southern opposition candidate as politically unrealistic, strategically weak and historically unsupported.

According to the statement, there is no precedent in Nigeria’s democratic history where an opposition candidate from the same geopolitical region as a sitting president successfully defeated an incumbent.

“The first and most obvious question is this: how does a Southern opposition candidate realistically unseat a sitting Southern president? Nigerian political history offers no precedent for such an outcome,” the statement said.

“No incumbent president has ever been defeated by an opposition challenger from the same geopolitical bloc. To insist otherwise is to enter the contest already defeated.”

The statement comes amid increasing political realignments and coalition discussions ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly among opposition figures seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Political stakeholders across the country have been divided over whether power should remain in Southern Nigeria after Tinubu’s first term or rotate back to the North under Nigeria’s informal zoning arrangement.

While the Atiku camp acknowledged that the APC could reasonably retain a southern presidential candidate because Tinubu is the incumbent, it argued that the opposition should not blindly adopt the same approach without carefully evaluating electoral realities.

“Defeating an incumbent president requires realism, not romanticism; strategy, not sentiment; honesty, not selective memory,” the statement noted.

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“The opposition must decide whether its goal is to make an emotional statement or to actually win power.”

The former vice president’s camp also challenged the “equity and fairness” argument frequently advanced by proponents of southern zoning.

According to the statement, by 2027, Southern Nigeria would have held presidential power for nearly 18 years in the Fourth Republic, while the North would have governed for roughly 10 years.

The Atiku camp argued that extending southern leadership beyond Tinubu’s tenure would further deepen political imbalance rather than correct it.

“It therefore becomes difficult to understand the justice in an argument that seeks to deepen an already existing imbalance under the guise of equity,” the statement added.

The camp also accused some political actors of hypocrisy and selective interpretation of zoning principles, especially regarding events surrounding the 2011 presidential election.

It recalled that after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010, many politicians who now advocate strict zoning supported the candidacy of former President Goodluck Jonathan from the South-South region, despite expectations that power should remain in the North under the informal rotational arrangement.

“It is intellectually dishonest for those who enthusiastically supported a Southern presidency under Goodluck Jonathan in 2011, despite the North’s legitimate expectation under the informal zoning arrangement, to now suddenly posture as custodians of rotational justice,” the statement argued.

“Principles do not become sacred only when they align with personal ambition.”

The Atiku camp also addressed ongoing conversations about the Southeast producing Nigeria’s next president.

While recognising the legitimate aspirations of the Southeast region, the statement warned against what it described as “symbolic tokenism” and “transactional political bargaining” designed merely to advance individual ambitions rather than genuine national inclusion.

“The Southeast deserves a sustainable and credible pathway to national leadership — not symbolic tokenism or bespoke arrangements tailored to satisfy one individual’s ambition,” the statement said.

Although no names were mentioned directly, political observers believe the comments may be linked to ongoing agitation by supporters of Peter Obi and other southeastern political interests advocating a southern or southeastern presidency in 2027.

The statement ultimately urged opposition parties and coalition leaders to prioritise building a broad national alliance capable of defeating Tinubu and the APC rather than engaging in emotional zoning disputes.

Analysts believe the latest position by Atiku’s camp could intensify political tension within opposition circles, particularly within the Peoples Democratic Party and emerging coalition movements ahead of 2027.

Atiku, a northern Muslim politician from Adamawa State, remains one of Nigeria’s most influential opposition figures and has contested for the presidency multiple times since 1993.

Although he has not formally declared his intention to run in 2027, his continued political engagements, coalition talks and public interventions have fueled speculation about another presidential bid.

The debate over zoning, regional balance and electoral strategy is expected to remain one of the defining issues shaping Nigeria’s political landscape in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.

2027: Atiku Camp Warns Opposition Against Zoning Presidency to South