According to Independent Nigeria, The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asserted that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) will face electoral challenges in Kano State come 2027, rather than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The statement was made by the APC's state chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, who dismissed claims from the NNPP's Kano State Chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, suggesting that the ongoing Emirship tussle would negatively impact President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Abbas emphasized that the NNPP and its national leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will bear the brunt of the political strife related to the Emirship dispute. He pointed out that the APC is now more unified and popular than before, and is poised to significantly increase its support in the next presidential election in Kano State, attributing this confidence to what he described as the failures of the current administration in the state.
In response to Dungurawa's remarks, Abbas described the NNPP's claims as a sign of frustration within the party. He highlighted the internal discord and leadership crisis within the NNPP, particularly involving Kwankwaso, as evidence of its declining influence and effectiveness. Abbas criticized Kwankwaso’s 2023 presidential bid, suggesting it was more about maintaining relevance and securing local political gains rather than achieving a serious national victory.
Abbas detailed Kwankwaso's electoral performance, noting that in the 2023 presidential election, he garnered a total of 1,454,649 votes, representing just 6.23% of the overall votes, with the majority coming from Kano State. He also noted that Kwankwaso’s support outside Kano was minimal, as post-election analyses revealed that he received fewer than 100,000 votes from other regions.
Furthermore, Abbas pointed out that despite Kwankwaso’s significant following in the North-West, where he secured 1.2 million votes, or 19% of the total in that geopolitical zone, his performance in other parts of Nigeria was negligible. He contrasted this with Peter Obi of the Labour Party, who managed to outperform Kwankwaso in several northern states, including Kaduna, Taraba, and Borno, among others, demonstrating the NNPP’s limited reach beyond Kano State.
He said: “How comes Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the opposition Labour Party from far away South East bested Kwankwaso in 13 northern states of Kaduna, Taraba, Borno, Gombe, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa and Benue.