By Adamu Aminu.
The dynamics in Kano politics ahead of 2027 point to a narrowing path — a binary choice that may either end Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s long supremacy or compel Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to confront hard lessons in his political life.
Senator Kwankwaso’s dilemma is clear. Having built a formidable movement through Kwankwasiyya, he now faces the challenge of staying relevant in a system demanding renewal.
His supremacy, once unquestioned, is being tested by shifting alliances and the growing independence of those he mentored. The question is whether his influence can adapt, or whether it will fade under the weight of time and ambition.
Governor Abba’s dilemma is equally pressing. Elevated by Kwankwaso’s support, he owes much of his identity to that mentorship. Yet as governor, he must balance loyalty with autonomy.
He was expected to remain silent when his former godfather made misguided remarks, even after handing the hard-earned mandate to their political opponents.
Remaining tethered to his godfather risks undermining his authority, while breaking away too abruptly risks alienating the base that secured his rise. His task is to govern with sincerity and independence without appearing disloyal.
This dual dilemma exposes a wider weakness in Nigerian democracy: politics reduced to personalities and camps rather than policies and institutions.
Citizens are forced into binary choices — loyalty versus rupture, continuity versus defiance — rather than being offered genuine alternatives. Such narrowing deepens polarization, silences dissent, and discourages new entrants.
From a governance perspective, the danger is plain. Patronage cannot replace governance. Supremacy cannot substitute for service. And mentorship, however valuable, must not become a stranglehold on democratic choice. Both men must recognize that legitimacy rests on principle and performance, not personal bonds.
The moral framing is straightforward. Democracy thrives on plurality, not binary fate. Kwankwaso’s legacy and Abba’s leadership should be judged not by loyalty or rupture, but by their capacity to serve people sincerely. Credibility rests on consistency between principle and conduct.
With Governor Abba now confirmed as the APC’s sole, unopposed candidate, he will work to secure re-election and build his own base. Meanwhile, Senator Kwankwaso continues to move between parties, seemingly postponing the twilight of his career while trying to assert influence and settle scores with those he believes bites the hand that fed him.
Kano cannot afford another election reduced to a contest of egos and debts of loyalty. If both men choose narrowness over openness, the state will remain trapped where personalities overshadow policy and voters have no real choice.
The test of leadership in 2027 is simple: widen the democratic space, even at the cost of personal control. Anything less is a betrayal of the people who put them there.
Adamu Aminu writes from Kano