There is suspicion over the political plans of Rufa’i Hanga, the sole senator of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) from Kano State (Kano Central District), following a late Sunday meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
Mr Hanga, accompanied by former senator Kabiru Gaya, was led to the Presidential Villa by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who later described the engagement as “fruitful”.
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Before the meeting with the president, Mr Hanga had also met the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, and Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.
These successive high-profile engagements led political observers to conclude that the lawmaker was preparing to defect to the ruling APC, effectively breaking ties with his long-time political ally and Kwankwasiyya Movement leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
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A rift reportedly broke between them after Mr Hanga failed to win a return ticket and was also bypassed for the NDC deputy governorship nomination.
His meetings with the president and APC leaders are classic precursors to a formal party crossover, observers say.
With the APC actively consolidating in Kano State, welcoming the sitting senator from the state’s most populous and politically influential district represents a major strategic advantage for the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Who is Rufa’i Hanga?
Mr Hanga is a professional accountant and a seasoned figure in northern Nigerian politics.
He was the founding National Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the party created by former President Muhammadu Buhari before its merger into the APC in 2013.
Known for unconventional, direct constituency outreach and widespread welfare interventions – including the controversial provision of burial materials for his constituents- Mr Hanga maintains ties across Kano Central’s 15 local government areas, encompassing Kano Municipal, Tarauni, Dala, Nassarawa, and Fagge.
Winning this district requires strong grassroots networks independent of state-wide party waves.
Many question Mr Hanga’s personal popularity, but his supporters argue that he is popular among elders, traditional structures, and grassroots loyalists.
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Having been squeezed out of the NDC ticket for re-election, Mr Hanga can join the APC to leverage federal backing, remain politically relevant, and potentially secure a key appointment or a strategic role within the APC structure in Kano State.
Public fallout with Kwankwaso
The friction between Mr Hanga and Mr Kwankwaso became public recently when, in a radio interview in Kano, he accused Mr Kwankwaso of betrayal for allegedly denying him a return ticket to the Senate or to serve as the NDC deputy governorship candidate.
Mr Hanga said Mr Kwankwaso cited his age and a leg condition to justify bypassing him, but he dismissed this, stating
that he is healthier than Mr Kwankwaso.
“How can Kwankwaso cite my age and health condition to deny me the chance? As of today, I am healthier than Kwankwaso. His frequent references to my leg condition are nothing but a sham… Regarding age, he is two years older than I am,” Mr Hanga stated
He maintained that his leg condition has never impeded his legislative duties in the 10th Senate, accusing the NDC leadership of deliberate political marginalisation.
Political observers believe that this public exchange signalled a complete breakdown of trust, making Mr Hanga’s departure from Kwankwaso’s political camp inevitable.
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