Kwankwaso insists Kano governor, ex-governor are his political protégés

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has reaffirmed his political influence in Kano State, insisting that both the current Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje remain his political protégés. Kwankwaso made these assertions while addressing members of the Kwankwasiyya movement at his residence in Kano.

His comments were a direct response to recent reports suggesting that Governor Yusuf questioned Kwankwaso's practice of referring to him, a 63-year-old, as his "boy." Kwankwaso addressed the issue with a touch of humor, acknowledging that "a few don't want to be referred to as my boy," which drew laughter from the audience. He then elaborated in Hausa, firmly stating that both Yusuf and Ganduje owe their political ascendance to his mentorship.

Kwankwaso, a long-standing figure in Kano politics and the founder of the Kwankwasiyya movement, has previously served as governor, minister, and senator. Yusuf is widely seen as his political ally and successor. Ganduje, who also served as Kano governor, was Kwankwaso's deputy during a previous term, though their relationship later deteriorated due to political disagreements.

Ganduje himself has previously acknowledged working with Kwankwaso but has contested the notion of a godfather-son dynamic. He stated in a BBC interview that his selection as Kwankwaso's deputy was a consequence of losing party primaries, and their alliance in a subsequent term was Kwankwaso's personal decision. Kwankwaso's latest remarks aim to reassert his foundational role in the careers of these prominent Kano politicians.

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If it is not out of disrespect, will Abba Kabir Yusuf say he is not my political son? If it is not out of disrespect, will Abdullahi Umar Ganduje say he is not my political son?