2027: Ganduje’s son dumps NDC, returns to APC

Alhaji Abdulaziz Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, eldest son of former Kano Governor and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has returned to the APC after leaving the party for the New Nigeria Democratic Party (NDC), in a fresh political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abdulaziz announced his return to the APC on Sunday in Ganduje, his hometown in Kano, several months after joining the NDC and declaring his intention to contest the Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

During an elaborate ceremony, Abdulaziz, dressed in a cream-coloured kaftan and matching red cap, was seen in photographs alongside APC supporters as he received what appeared to be an APC membership or registration form.

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His return to the APC represents a major political U-turn, coming after his reported inability to secure the NDC ticket for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

The NDC is associated with former Kano State Governor and prominent political figure, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, whose political camp has long been regarded as a rival of the Ganduje political family.

Abdulaziz’s earlier decision to join the NDC had attracted considerable attention, particularly because he sought an elective position on a platform associated with Kwankwaso, a longstanding political rival of his father.

His latest move is therefore expected to generate fresh political discussions in Kano, where political parties are intensifying efforts to consolidate their structures and attract influential politicians ahead of the 2027 elections.

Although none of his immediate family members were seen alongside with him during Sunday’s ceremony, his return to the APC is significant given his father’s longstanding association with the party.

Abdullahi Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, previously served as National Chairman of the APC and remains a prominent figure within the party.

Abdulaziz’s defection further highlights the fluid nature of political alignments in Kano as politicians reposition themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency is expected to witness keen political competition as aspirants and political parties begin to mobilise supporters and strengthen their grassroots structures across the constituency.