Kwankwasiyya may not survive realignment – Dambatta

Honourable Yusuf Suleiman Dambatta served in the cabinet of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a commissioner at the same time the current governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, held a similar post. He parted ways with Kwankwaso in the build-up to the 2023 elections to pursue his governorship ambition in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview, he reflects on Kwankwaso’s formidability in Kano politics.

How  do you  interpret the present realignments in Kano, and  what do they reveal  about the state of the Kwankwasiyya structure today?

Every election season brings similar shifts. Kwankwaso established a very  formidable structure in  Kano, particularly  from 2010 through to 2019, when we struggled to defeat the  incumbent, Gov. Ganduje. Even though Ganduje eventually regained his seat following the  controversial “inconclusive” result, the reality is that empires have a lifespan. Eventually, empires  collapse,  and I believe  that is what we are witnessing within the Kwankwasiyya movement.

It isn’t just about the NNPP; that party is facing an internal crisis similar to the PDP and others. Kwankwasiyya has entered a more complex phase, perhaps a final phase. It has survived for many years, but it will face a near-insurmountable challenge if Gov. Yusuf defects to the APC. For Kwankwasiyya, it would be a major blow. Movements that survive such trends usually do so not by suppressing members, but by managing them with wisdom.

Under these circumstances, Kwankwaso needs to apply fairness and offer renewed ideological clarity to his members. In contrast, Kwankwaso does not traditionally apply such methods; he has often governed by force and intimidation.  This approach will not serve the movement well.

As for Gov. Abba’s decision to defect, I see no fault in it. He is a governor seeking a second term. Kwankwaso has already served his two terms; he is no longer looking to be governor.

Gov. Abba has the right to choose the platform that best secures his future, especially as the NNPP is currently mired in litigation  and internal division.

If the governor defects, how would that affect internal cohesion?

History is repeating itself. Between 1979 and 1983, we saw a similar political realignment between Gov. Abubakar Rimi and the late Malam Aminu Kano. That period saw a significant shift in power and loyalty.

RMK (Kwankwaso) and Gov. Abba Yusuf have a long history  as partners  and political associates. However, Abba’s defection would be a shock to many Kwankwasiyya  members who never expected him to leave. I have heard Kwankwaso  on social media recently making quite unguarded statements, which suggests a level of concern. I believe RMK will lose leverage and enter a state of confusion because, while he enjoys immense loyalty, that loyalty is not static. People change.

The defection of Gov. Yusuf is a blow from any  angle. While one  cannot undermine Kwankwaso’s following,  especially among the youth who are deeply devoted to him, Kano is a cosmopolitan state with diverse influences. Recent comments from Kwankwaso suggest anger and confusion. He has made unguarded statements about former Gov. Shekarau and Gov. Abba himself.

Currently, Gov. Abba holds a stronger political hand because he is joining the ranks of the APC, where former Gov. Ganduje served eight years and recently acted as national chairman. In the

2023 governorship election, the APC in Kano scored close to a million votes. The margin between Gov. Abba and the APC was slim. If Abba brings even 30 per cent of his supporters to the APC, he can win again even without Senator Kwankwaso’s backing.

Regarding the Rimi and Malam Aminu Kano example, historians often note that Rimi, the governor, ended up the loser. Why do you believe the governor will win in this modern scenario?

The situation in the early 1980s is not identical to 2025. History evolves. Rimi lost for specific reasons, while Abba Kabir can win for others. The people of that era were perhaps more driven by a specific type of integrity regarding  their votes. Today, political realignment is seen as normative in Nigeria. It is now part of the culture for a governor or a member of the National Assembly.

In 2018, Kwankwaso was an APC senator and we defected back to the PDP with that seat. Then in 2022, he moved to the NNPP, taking members ofthe State Assembly and House of Representatives with him. When a sitting  governor moves, it signals that the new platform will enjoy the benefits of state resources and the incumbency factor. The Kwankwaso of yesterday is not the Kwankwaso of today. Every time he moves from one platform to another, he loses followers. I was his follower, but I chose to remain with the PDP when he moved to the NNPP. Any time a politician moves, they drop members, and those members regroup to choose their own futures.

Does that logic not apply to the governor as well? Will  he not lose supporters by moving to the APC?

He will lose some, yes. But he is the governor. In modern politics, people often follow the money and the positions. He controls the state apparatus. I understand that all 40 members of the State  House of Assembly, the 44 local government  chairmen,  the 484 councillors, and his political appointees are with him. He is joining an already established and strong platform.

You have a history with the big names in the APC structure: Barau Jibrin, Nasiru Gawuna, Murtala Sule Garo, and Ganduje. Who emerges as the winner when all these ambitions collide?

In 2018, when we were defecting to the PDP, there was an offer to maintain the status quo, meaning Senator Kwankwaso would keep his position and our group would get automatic tickets. We turned that down and lost in 2019. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the best move for the APC is to maintain the status quo. Elective positions should be retained by those who currently hold them.

Those in Ganduje’s  group who eye governorships or senate seats can be considered for federal appointments. Gov. Abba can also open his government to accommodate these individuals. There are enough positions to go around; there is no need for them to fight.

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