By Goni Mustapha
As Nigeria gently edges closer to the decisive threshold of 2027, the political atmosphere is already thick with permutations, alliances, and shadowboxing. At the heart of the emerging northern narrative stands one man whose presence is as towering as it is undeniable — Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. In a region as complex and electorally consequential as Northern Nigeria, Kwankwaso’s influence is not just a factor. It is the factor. If the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is to make meaningful inroads into the northern strongholds and maintain a firm grip on power, it must face reality — and that reality spells K-W-A-N-K-W-A-S-O.
Kwankwaso is not merely a politician; he is a phenomenon. In the arid landscapes of Kano and across the Sahelian belt of Nigeria’s northern plains, he is regarded with almost mythical reverence. His name resonates from the muddy alleys of Kurna Asabe to the sun-scorched farmlands of Katsina. To the talakawa (commoners), he is not just a leader — he is Mai Gida, the man who never abandoned them, the red-capped crusader who speaks their language, walks their path, and shares their pain.
For a party that seeks to maintain dominance in the country’s northern region, it is impossible to overlook a figure who commands the hearts and loyalty of millions. The APC, though still the dominant national party, cannot afford the luxury of complacency — not with the rising tide of discontent, economic challenges, and fraying internal cohesion. To consolidate power and neutralize any looming threat from rival camps, the ruling party must do more than watch from the sidelines. It must act — deliberately, strategically, and humbly. And part of that action must involve extending an olive branch to Engineer Kwankwaso.
The Power of the Red Cap
What sets Kwankwaso apart is not just his political experience — which spans over three decades — but his grassroots machinery that has been tested and trusted in the furnace of northern politics. The Kwankwasiyya Movement is not a symbolic group of admirers; it is an army of believers. With unmatched organizational depth, visible branding, and ideological loyalty, the Kwankwasiyya movement is Nigeria’s closest model to a people-powered revolution within a democratic framework. From the motorcyclist to the university professor, his followers cut across age, education, and class. Their red caps are not just fashion statements — they are worn as badges of faith, loyalty, and resistance against political betrayal.
The APC leadership must be reminded: political power is not won solely in Abuja boardrooms or elite dinner tables. It is built in the dusty, sunburnt streets of Kano, the rural courtyards of Jigawa, and the crowded mosques of Zaria. That is where Kwankwaso reigns.
Tinubu’s 2027 Bid and the Kwankwaso Variable
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is no stranger to the chessboard of Nigerian politics. His 2023 victory was a culmination of decades of strategic planning, political alliance-building, and relentless ambition. Yet, even he would agree that 2027 will be an uphill climb. The post-2023 electoral landscape has left the APC fractured in pockets and bruised in spirit. With the PDP regrouping and the Labour Party slowly extending its reach, the party must circle its wagons and fortify its base.
In this context, Kwankwaso is not just a desirable ally — he is a necessary one.
His participation in the 2023 elections under the NNPP not only reshaped the political outcome in Kano, but also exposed the vulnerabilities of the APC in the region. The fact that the NNPP, a party with minimal national structure, could sweep Kano State under Kwankwaso’s direction, should serve as a wake-up call. Kano, with over five million registered voters, is too strategic to be left in opposition hands. And there is only one man capable of delivering it on a silver platter — Kwankwaso.
Mending Old Fences, Building New Bridges
Some would argue that political bridges between Kwankwaso and the APC were once burned beyond repair. But history tells us otherwise. Nigerian politics is a dance of shifting alliances and redefined relationships. Enemies today are allies tomorrow. After all, was it not Tinubu who once realigned with former adversaries to build the formidable APC? Was it not Kwankwaso who left the PDP to help birth that same APC in 2013 before his eventual exit?
Reconciliation is not weakness. It is statesmanship.
This point was eloquently echoed by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima during a recent book presentation by former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke. In a moment of subtle diplomacy wrapped in praise, Shettima referred to Kwankwaso as the “fire-spitting leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement”, extolling the former governor’s charisma and political might. In what appeared to be a deliberate olive branch, he hailed him as “Kwankwaso of NNPP/APP/APC” and went on to state: “We are all one.” This phrase — simple yet profound — symbolized a clear message: the door is open. “What binds us together surpasses whatever divides us,” the Vice President noted, in what many analysts interpreted as a strategic overture to bring Kwankwaso back into the APC fold.
Such recognition from a figure as highly placed as Shettima underscores Kwankwaso’s political weight and hints at the growing consensus within APC that the party cannot afford to leave such influence outside its gates. Perhaps it is his vast following, strategic intelligence, and unmatched connection with the grassroots that puts Kwankwaso a step ahead of any politician in the region.
A Rallying Call for Strategic Inclusion
To ignore Kwankwaso is to gamble with the future. The APC must not allow ego or old rivalries to blind its vision. The party needs the vigor of his voice, the weight of his followership, and the reach of his political network. With Kwankwaso back under the APC umbrella, a North-West consolidation becomes a real prospect, not just a dream.
This is not the time for overconfidence. It is a season to embrace strength where it exists and forge alliances where possible. The beauty of democracy lies in diversity, and no party has ever succeeded by alienating powerful constituencies.
Let this then be a rallying call to the APC hierarchy: Facify Kwankwaso — not out of desperation, but out of wisdom. Let this not be a tale of missed opportunity or a tragic repeat of 2023’s miscalculations. Let this be the moment the ruling party opened its arms, reimagined its strategy, and expanded its tent.
In Conclusion: When the Eagle Soars, Let the Falcon Fly
Kwankwaso is a falcon whose wingspan covers the entire northern political skyline. He is not a man that can be ignored. He is a movement, a mindset, and a manifestation of the northern soul. The APC must rise above internal misgivings and do what is politically right — not just for its survival, but for national cohesion.
It is time for the eagle (APC) to fly higher, but even the eagle needs companions in the sky. In Kwankwaso, the party has a falcon whose altitude could direct the wind in 2027. Let the ruling party reach out, negotiate with grace, and welcome him back — not just into the party, but into the future.
Goni Mustapha, writes from Maiduguri