The participation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, in private events organized by an opposition senator in Kano has stirred controversy.
Senator Kawu Sumaila, who represents Kano South under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), left the APC ahead of the 2023 elections following internal party disputes.
In a statement on Friday, Jibrin disclosed that he led a delegation of federal lawmakers to attend the wedding ceremonies of Sumaila’s children.
“On February 21, I led the Senate delegation to the wedding of Senator Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila’s and Alhaji Abdulmanaf Yunusa Sarina’s children in Sumaila town, Kano State,” he stated.
He added that the ceremonies united Dr. Khadija Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila with Faisal Abdulmanaf Sarina, and Maryam Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila with Bello Ibrahim Ma’aji. The events were officiated by Professor Salisu Shehu, the Imam of Sumaila Jumaat Mosque.
“Our party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CFR, was also present. May Allah bless the newlyweds with patience, love, and endurance. Congratulations to them,” Jibrin remarked.
The following day, both Ganduje and Jibrin attended the first convocation of Al-Istiqama University, a private institution believed to have been established by Sumaila in Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano State.
Their presence at these gatherings has triggered reactions within the NNPP, particularly on social media, where speculation is growing that Sumaila may be considering a return to the APC. Some party members have questioned why the senator engaged opposition figures, including former Kano governor Ibrahim Shekarau of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while seemingly distancing himself from Governor Abba Yusuf and NNPP leader Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Efforts to reach Sumaila for comments were unsuccessful, as his known phone number was unreachable on Saturday evening.
Sumaila and several NNPP lawmakers from Kano South had previously clashed with Governor Yusuf over the reinstatement of deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, and the repeal of the 2019 State Emirate Council Law.
They had opposed the dissolution of the four additional emirates created by former Governor Ganduje, arguing that abolishing all five emirates was against the interests of their constituents.
Since then, Sumaila and some of his colleagues have maintained a distance from the NNPP-led administration in Kano.
If Sumaila decides to return to the APC, he would join the growing number of opposition lawmakers shifting their allegiance to the ruling party.
The NNPP, which currently ranks as Nigeria’s fourth-largest political party in terms of parliamentary representation, has Kano as its stronghold—the only state it governs.
During the 2023 presidential election, the party’s candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, managed to secure a win only in Kano State, finishing fourth overall in the contest.