Fresh political drama has erupted in Kano after Abdulaziz Umar Ganduje, son of former All Progressives Congress National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, formally entered the political structure of longtime Ganduje rival Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ahead of the next general election.
Abdulaziz secured a House of Representatives nomination form under the platform of the National Democratic Congress to contest for the Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency seat in Kano State, a move already stirring intense reactions across the state’s political landscape.
The development is particularly symbolic because Abdulaziz has openly aligned himself with the Kwankwasiyya movement — the same political force that has spent years battling his father for control of Kano politics.
Shortly after obtaining the nomination form, Abdulaziz was seen in a viral video meeting with Kwankwaso, where the former Kano governor reportedly received briefings on the young politician’s ambition and electoral plans.
The move is widely viewed as another sign of deepening cracks within Kano’s political elite and a dramatic reminder that political loyalties in the state increasingly cut across family and party lines.
For years, Ganduje and Kwankwaso dominated Kano politics as allies before their relationship deteriorated into one of the fiercest rivalries in northern Nigeria.
While Ganduje rose to become governor and later national chairman of the APC, Kwankwaso consolidated influence through the Kwankwasiyya movement, which remains one of the most formidable grassroots political structures in Kano.
Despite his father’s prominence within the APC, Abdulaziz consistently kept close ties with Kwankwaso’s political network and avoided full identification with the Ganduje political camp.
The latest move could reshape political calculations in Kano, especially as parties begin positioning for future elections and fresh coalition battles emerge ahead of 2027.
Abdulaziz is now seeking the same House of Representatives seat earlier contested by his brother, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, who lost under the APC platform during the 2023 elections to a candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
Analysts say the development underscores the growing influence of Kwankwaso’s political movement and could further complicate APC efforts to retain dominance in Kano State.