The All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to stage a comeback in Kano State, following the formal endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, for the governorship race in the state by key stakeholders across the state.
Kano, once a stronghold of the APC, shifted to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) during the last general election. In that cycle, the APC lost the governorship and all senatorial seats except the Kano North Senatorial District, which Senator Barau successfully retained.
Since the NNPP’s victory in 2023, the APC has remained in opposition in Kano, widely regarded as one of the country’s most influential voting blocs. Throughout this period, Senator Barau has served as the backbone of the party in the state. Recently, the former National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, hailed him as the “General of Nigerian Politics,” remarking that posterity would remember his contributions favourably.
As the 2027 general elections draw closer, APC stakeholders in Kano have begun reassessing their strategy to reclaim the state from what they describe as the NNPP’s misrule. Over the past four weeks, influential voices within the party have backed President Tinubu’s second-term bid and intensified calls for Senator Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, to be adopted as the APC’s sole governorship candidate for 2027.
To these stakeholders, Senator Barau stands out as the only APC figure widely loved by the grassroots, respected by the elite, admired by youths and women, supported by clerics and academics, and embraced by the business community. To them, Senator Barau remains the true “People’s Senator”
Leading the pack of endorsements were former and serving members of the Kano State House of Assembly. A group of over 200 serving and former members of the Kano State House of Assembly, from 1999 to date, was led by a former speaker, Rt. Hon. Abdulaziz G. Gafasa (2007-2011) to the National Assembly, where they endorsed the second-term bid of President Tinubu and Senator Barau for the 2027 governorship election.
In the words of the lawmakers, through former speaker Gafasa to Senator Barau, “We are here to tell you that we are solidly behind you for three reasons. One, you have positively impacted the lives of our people across the three senatorial districts of Kano State. Secondly, you have been a lifeline to our party, APC. Thirdly, you have positively touched our lives, even though some of us are not from the same senatorial district as you. This has made you the most marketable candidate in APC.”
In the same vein, members of the forum of former Commissioners of Kano State, who served from 2019 to 2023 under Dr Ganduje, have also followed suit.
The former commissioners, who are grassroots politicians across the state, took turns to extol and commend the various interventions of Senator Barau in Kano State and beyond.
In the words of Dr Ali Musa Burum-Burum, if not for the intervention of the Deputy President of the Senate, the APC would have been in a state of comatose in Kano State.
Similarly, women leaders of the APC from 31 local government areas of the Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts also paid a solidarity visit to the Deputy President of the Senate at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Led by the Deputy Women Leader of the party in Kano State, Hajiya Sabuwa Salisu Takai, they expressed appreciation for the various developmental strides of Senator Barau in Kano State.
A week later, the former local government chairmen in Kano State adopted Senator Barau as the sole candidate of the APC for the 2027 governorship race in the state.
The former LG chairmen, who served between 2019 and 2022 during Ganduje’s tenure as governor of the state, adopted Senator Barau during a courtesy call to the National Assembly in Abuja.
A motion for the adoption of Senator Barau was moved by the former chairman of Rimin Gado Local Government Area, Barrister Dahiru Mannir Maigari, and seconded by the former chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state, Hon. Baffa Mohammed Takai.
When the former chairman of Madobi LGA, Alhaji Mohammed Yahaya, put the vote, all the former chairmen unanimously approved it through a voice vote.
Former chairman of Gwale LGA. Alhaji Khalid Ishak Diso informed the Deputy President of the Senate that the people of Kano, especially at the grassroots level, are eagerly awaiting his declaration for the race.
“Kano people are waiting for you to declare for the governorship race. We recently organised an event, where we asked you to declare. You are yet to. The people of Kano are anxiously awaiting your declaration. When are you declaring? Please answer the call to serve our people,” he said.
Also, the former Chairman of ALGON, Baffa Mohammed Takai, who led his colleagues on the courtesy call, stated that they had adopted Senator Barau in view of his outstanding performance in parliament, adding that his contributions to Kano’s development are immense.
The forum of former speakers-councillors of LGAs of Kano State, led by their Chairman, Hon. Shuaibu Haruna Gamarya, has also lent its support to the President and the Deputy President of the Senate.
The delegation, comprising 32 former House Leaders, came with a clear and united message, as well as a genuine love for the progress of Kano State. They declared total support for President Tinubu’s second term and adopted Senator Barau as the APC’s gubernatorial candidate for 2027.
They served during the administration of Ganduje in Kano State. Speaking on behalf of the group, the Chairman, Hon. Shuaibu Haruna Gamarya, said, “You are a senator for all, given your contributions to Kano State and the entire Northern Nigeria. We are not here for anything; we are here out of true love and for the sake of Allah. We are with you one hundred per cent. You are our gubernatorial candidate and governor, come May 29, 2027, Insha Allah”
The forum of former speakers – councillors of LGAs of Kano State, led by their Chairman, Hon. Shuaibu Haruna Gamarya, has backed President Tinubu’s second-term bid and Senator Barau’s governorship ambition.
The forum’s Secretary, Hon. Usman Muazu Garin Malam, reaffirmed their grassroots commitment, “We, the house leaders, hereby support President Tinubu’s second-term bid and endorse Senator Barau as the sole APC gubernatorial candidate. We will mobilise the grassroots for them.”
Former Speaker of the Tofa LGA, Hon. Shehu Halilu, moved a motion for the formal adoption of Senator Barau, and former leader of Garko LGA, Hon. Sunusi Abdu, seconded it, adding, “Anybody that is against Senator Barau is an enemy of Kano and an enemy of APC. That person is also against President Tinubu.”
Another group that has endorsed the duo of President Tinubu and Senator Barau is the Forum of Former Secretaries of the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State. Members of the forum, led by its Chairman, Usaini Sani Fagge, and accompanied by Hon. Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, Senior Special Assistant to the President on the North West, were recently at the National Assembly.
The Tinubu/Barau Support Group Coalition, comprising people, especially youths, from across the 44 local government areas of Kano State and spanning various faiths, with members from the southern part of the country who are residents of Kano, has rallied behind the President and Senator Barau. Comrade Hafiz Liman led them to the National Assembly, where they formally declared their support for the duo.
The former chairmen of the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State, who served from 2003 to 2011 during the era of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, have joined the team.
Led by a former chairman of Tofa LGA, Hon. Garba Idris Unguwar Rimi, they unanimously endorsed President Tinubu and Senator Barau for a second term and governorship race, respectively.
A group of former federal lawmakers, comprising those who served in the second, third, and present fourth republics, have followed suit. Led by Hon. Umar Sadiq, who represented Kumbotso Federal Constituency between 1979 and 1983, they stated that the decision to endorse President Tinubu and Senator Barau for the presidency and governorship, respectively, was a unanimous resolution among all members of the forum.
In the same vein, hundreds of Kano’s former councillors, supervisors, and advisers, from 1999 to date, have thrown their support behind Tinubu’s second-term bid and endorsed Senator Barau for the Kano governorship race.
Under the Kano State APC Ex-Councillors, Supervisors, and Advisers Forum, from 1999 to date, the group, comprising both old and young, male and female politicians, announced that they had concluded arrangements to purchase the APC governorship form for Senator Barau.
The Chairman of the forum, Hon. Muazu Isah Dorogo, stated that at their recent meeting, all the members of the forum across the 44 LGAs of the state met and assessed all the contenders, and hence resolved to support Senator Barau.
Meanwhile, local government stakeholders of the APC have also thrown their weight behind the President and the Deputy President of the Senate.
A delegation from the Kano North Senatorial District Caucus of the APC, led by the Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Dan Shayi Rimin Gado, has also backed Senator Barau.
During the visit, the delegation reaffirmed its loyalty and unwavering support, further declaring Senator Barau as the sole gubernatorial candidate of the APC for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during one of the visits, Hon. Faruk Lawan, who represented Bagwai/Shanono Federal Constituency of Kano State for 16 years, said they would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the victory of President Tinubu’s second-term bid and Senator Barau’s governorship ambition in 2027, stating that the endorsement by all stakeholders was a sign of good omens.
Takai’s words: “The endorsement by all shows that everyone is in support of this rescue mission. We have been with him; we know what he is capable of. Senator Barau will tackle the developmental challenge and look into the welfare of our people. As we have all seen his good works in the parliament.
“Choosing Senator Barau as Governor is the best decision for Kano, and promoting his candidature is a duty for all lovers of our state. As such, we shall all come out and support him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
For his part, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, said, “We are all on the path of victory. By Allah’s grace, Senator Barau I Jibrin will be the one to be sworn in on May 29, 2027, as Governor of Kano State. Amin,” We are on a mission to rescue Kano – Senator Barau
Throughout the visits of all the stakeholders, one thing that dominated Senator Barau’s speech was the need to restore the glorious days of Kano.
Senator Barau said, “We have to work hard and make sacrifices to restore the glorious days of our state. It’s indeed true that Kano was second to Lagos before, in terms of development, commerce, and so on. Unfortunately, Kano is now trailing behind due to a lack of good leadership. Let us not live in denial. This is a fact that we must all work together to address in the interest of our people and state.
“Glory be to Allah SWT that our people have queued behind the movement to rescue Kano State from the present misrule. This is a rescue mission. I wish to assure you that by the grace of God, we will take bold steps to bring Kano back to its glorious days. We will succeed by the grace of God. We will always stand by the truth and for our people.”
- Mudashir is the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity
