THE GODFATHER’S STRANGLEHOLD BROKEN: HOW ABBA KABIR YUSUF OUTSMARTED HIS GODFATHER, HIJACKED NNPP AND MARCHED STRAIGHT INTO APC TERRITORY.
By Shariff Aminu Ahlan
Politics in Kano has entered a defining moment, one that will be studied for years to come. Few scenes are as dramatic and captivating as watching a political alliance of over four decades crumble under the weight of control, manipulation, and excessive godfatherism. The once unbreakable bond between Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and his long-time protégé, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has now collapsed, spectacularly and decisively.
For months, whispers filled the air that the relationship had become irreparably strained. At the heart of the crisis was Kwankwaso’s overwhelming interference in governance, an influence so suffocating that the Governor was reportedly reduced to a ceremonial figure, while real power was exercised from afar. Sensitive government files, approvals, and critical decisions were allegedly dictated by the Godfather, often at will, leaving the Governor politically humiliated, confused, and constrained.
The depth of this control became glaring during the local government elections, where Kwankwaso was said to have singlehandedly selected all forty-four chairmen without recourse to the Governor. Even more provocative was the controversial removal of Barrister Muhuyi—one of the Governor’s closest confidants. Despite the Governor’s pleas and calls for dialogue, the decision stood firm, reportedly imposed by the Godfather without empathy or consultation.
Ironically, any attempt by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to assert independence or seek mutual understanding was instantly branded as insubordination. Loyalty, in Kwankwaso’s political doctrine, meant absolute silence, no questions, no opinions, no resistance. The Governor was expected to nod in agreement, regardless of the merit or consequences of such decisions.
But when humiliation reached its peak, the Governor chose a different path. Rather than submit, Abba Kabir Yusuf turned his focus to governance, delivering visible results, engaging the people, and redefining leadership in Kano State. Ironically, this performance-driven governance was interpreted by Kwankwaso’s inner circle as an attempt to eclipse the Godfather and dismantle the ideological dominance of Kwankwasiyya. The verdict from that camp was brutal: the Governor must be removed.
A dangerous plot was allegedly set in motion. Meetings were reportedly held with members of the State House of Assembly, where hints of impeachment were dropped. But the plan collapsed almost immediately as lawmakers boldly reaffirmed their loyalty to the Governor, exposing the widening crack in Kwankwaso’s grip on power.
Not done yet, another scheme was said to be waiting in the shadows. The Governor would be allowed to complete his tenure, only to be denied the party’s ticket, an Ambode-style political execution. This plan, however, leaked. And once it did, the Governor knew there was no turning back.
Faced with political extinction, Abba Kabir Yusuf chose survival. In a masterstroke of strategy, he consolidated power, securing the backing of forty members of the State Assembly and forty-one local government chairmen. With the political structure firmly behind him and the executive united, the Governor made the ultimate decision: to break free from the suffocating shackles of godfatherism and reclaim his destiny.
The exit was bold. The message was clear. And the consequences were seismic.
In a dramatic show of authority, the Governor wrested control of the party structure from Kwankwaso’s loyalist, Dungurawa, replacing him with his own choice, Hon. Abiya. This was not done recklessly but through legal and constitutional means, culminating in a Court of Appeal ruling that affirmed the Governor’s candidate as the authentic party leader in the state.
This single move sent shockwaves through Kano’s political landscape.
Today, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf stands as a man who chose courage over submission, relevance over silence, and leadership over puppetry. His decision to sever ties with an overbearing Godfather was not an act of rebellion, it was an act of political self-preservation.
In the brutal chessboard of Nigerian politics, survival belongs to those who know when to bow—and when to break free.
Abba Kabir Yusuf broke free. And in doing so, he may have just rewritten Kano’s political history.
Shariff Aminu Ahlan
APC Intellectual Warrior.
realahlan0101@gmail.com
08034533848
