Former Kano State Deputy Governor Nasir Gawuna is set to remain in the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, despite a wave of defections by his closest political allies back to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Allies Return to APC Without Gawuna
Badaru Umar, a former chairman of Ungogo Local Government and one of Gawuna's most prominent supporters, confirmed this in an interview on Lumana Radio on Monday. Umar led a delegation that included Gawuna's younger brother, Mansur, NDC state deputy chairman Ali Datti-Yako, and several other senior allies to a consultation meeting with Governor Abba Yusuf and Deputy Governor Murtala Garo on September 1.
As reported by Premium Times, the group formally rejoined the APC on September 5, 2026. Umar said the group's original reason for leaving the APC was to secure a governorship ticket for Gawuna, which never materialised.
"We initially led Mr Gawuna to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), later NDC, with the sole aim of securing a governorship ticket for him, but that was not realised," he said.
Senatorial Ticket Offer Rejected
He added that Gawuna chose to stay put after the NDC offered him a senatorial ticket for Kano Central District. "While we decided and returned to the APC, Mr Gawuna insisted on remaining with the NDC, where he was offered a senatorial ticket for the Kano Central District," Umar said.
Gawuna's split from the APC followed his 2023 governorship defeat, in which he polled 890,705 votes but lost to Governor Yusuf, who received 1,019,602 votes. Despite that strong showing, he felt sidelined within the party and aligned with former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, under whose administration he had served as Commissioner for Agriculture, moving first to the ADC and later to the NDC.
Loyalists Unhappy with NDC's Offer
Some of Gawuna's loyalists remain unhappy with the NDC, arguing the party shortchanged him by offering a senatorial ticket rather than backing his gubernatorial ambitions. Umar acknowledged that despite their efforts, they could not persuade Gawuna to return to the APC, making such a move highly unlikely before the 2027 polls.
APC Welcomes New Political Leaders
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda formally welcomed several politicians and their supporters into the party in Kano on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Senators Rufa'i Sani Hanga, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, and Baraka Sani were among the high-profile names who joined the ruling party. Members from the NNPP, NDC, and PDP were received at the Kano event, signalling a broad realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
