Kano APC rejects Kwankwaso’s return bid, says his ‘Red Cap’ has lost relevance

Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have rejected the purported move by the former Governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to rejoin the party.

The party leaders made their position known after a closed-door meeting with the APC National Chairman at the party headquarters on Tuesday.

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Addressing journalists, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, who led the team, said the influence of Kwankwaso—symbolized by his signature red cap—is fading fast in the state.

According to Ata, unless the party’s National Chairman and leader in Kano, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, decides otherwise, Kwankwaso remains unwelcome in the APC fold.

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He said, “Anybody who visits Kano State even today will see that there are a lot of changes. It is hard to find red caps in Kano. Before now, if you visit the mosque you will see many red caps but today you can visit a mosque and if 5000 people come for prayers, you can not see 20 red caps in Kano.”

Ata reaffirmed his loyalty to the Ganduje-led APC, both at the state and national levels, expressing gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He assured the President that efforts were ongoing to ensure a resounding victory in Kano State in 2027.

He added, “So we are assuring the President that we are not asking for anything less. We are strongly behind our national chairman. We have been discussing it with him. This is the opinion of all the Kano State APC, even to the grassroots.”

On the issue of Kwankwaso’s relevance, Ata was blunt. He said, “Kwankwaso is no longer relevant in Kano. He is only coming to APC, not that we invited him. Because he is going to die politically. I am assuring you and even Mr. President has all his security records from the grassroots in Kano.

“He is no more attractive. So, he is struggling to be accommodated in the APC, that may bring a lot of crisis in the APC in Kano state. This is our position.”

When asked why he opposed Kwankwaso’s return, Ata stated, “Personally, I won’t be happy. Unless it is a decision from our father (Ganduje) to accommodate him. I was in the House of Assembly in 1999 when Kwankwaso was the governor. So I know Kwankwaso very well.

“He is no longer attractive in Kano. We have no deal unless the national chairman, as a leader, said we should accommodate him. No problem.”

Also, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, struck a more conciliatory tone. He acknowledged that Kwankwaso had lost his political base but hinted at the possibility of reconciliation.

In his words, “When a fish is running out of water, that’s exactly what is happening. If the water is drying, the fish has to find its way to water. So that is what is happening. I will not say we are not ready to welcome him.

“When you see your son running to where he would get shelter and you are a big brother in a big home, I think it is morally right to accommodate him. So we cannot say we cannot accommodate him because a friend in need is a friend indeed. Somebody who has been abandoned should not allow him to wallow in darkness.”

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