Different interest groups in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano are pushing their preferred candidates for the vacant position of deputy governor, Blueprint.ngreports.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf comes from the Kano Central while the other two political zones, Kano North and Kano South, are intensely lobbying for their preferred candidates to balance strategic power dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It would be recalled that the deputy governor’s office became vacant when Comrade Abdussalam Gwarzo, the former deputy governor refused to join Governor Yusuf to defect to the APC and instead resigned his position.
The APC Legacy Bloc, a group in the party, has thrown its weight behind Dr. Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi, the MD of Hadejia-Jamma’are River Basin Development Authority, for the position.
The group is urging other aspirants with corruption allegations to step aside.
A statement issued in Kano and made available to journalists Sunday evening by a frontline member of the bloc, Magaji Umar Gwammaja, said the endorsement followed wide consultations among stakeholders after the resignation of the former deputy governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
Gwammaja described Bichi as “a candidate of exceptional maturity and administrative depth,” noting that his experience across state, federal and development institutions places him ahead of other contenders.
“He possesses the competence, credibility and track record required to effectively support the administration of Governor Yusuf,” he said.
There is also the camp of the former governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje, whose loyalist, Murtala Sule Garo, a one time deputy gubernatorial candidate in the last general election, under the APC, is being pushed forward for the position.
Garo was the running mate of Nasiru Gawuna in the last election under the APC. Gawuna has however now joined the Kwankwasiyya camp under Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in ADC.
There is also the camp of the Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin that has some major political names in Kano aligned to it. They include Mariya Bunkure and Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, both of whom are federal ministers in the country.
The camp is also seeking the appointment of Alhassan Rurum, who is a federal legislator representing Rano, Bunkure and Kibiya federal constituency.
However, the state governor has since called on the APC to forward the names of three prospective candidates from which the deputy governor will be selected. Governor Yusuf stated this recently at a meeting with party leaders in the state.
