Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has warned his estranged political godfather, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to stop his frequent public attacks on his administration.
The governor warned Mr Kwankwaso to be mindful of his public utterances, otherwise he would respond in kind if the provocations continue.
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Governor Yusuf stated that his silence should not be misinterpreted as a sign of fear or weakness, but rather as a deliberate choice guided by morality and decorum.
He made these remarks on Monday while addressing party supporters during the affirmation of Abdulrahman Kawu as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Kano South, held in Rano.
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‘I will start talking’
In an apparent reference to Mr Kwankwaso—whom he avoided mentioning by name—Governor Yusuf warned that he would soon expose certain secrets if pushed to the wall.
“For us, Kano’s peace is our priority, but if we are pushed to the wall, we will open our mouths and talk. Silence is not a sign of fear,” Governor Yusuf said.
This public outburst marks the first time the governor has openly confronted his former political godfather since their fallout in January, which culminated in Mr Yusuf joining the ruling APC—a move that Mr Kwankwaso described as betrayal.
A clash of generations
Addressing the age gap and the perceived disrespect from his former mentor, Governor Yusuf argued that maturity should dictate public conduct.
“To even keep quiet is an act of worship, not because we are afraid, not because we are kids. How could a 69-year-old call a 63-year-old a kid? It is just personal respect because you are slightly older than me,” the governor stated.
“However, if an old man does not respect himself and keep quiet, the younger one will have plenty to say. So, we are pleading with them in the name of the Almighty and His Messenger to keep their mouths shut. Else, you will hear a lot of revelations”, the governor said amid thunderous applause from supporters down the podium.
Mr Kwankwaso had, in a series of interviews, attacked Governor Yusuf over his defection to the APC.
In one of his interviews, Mr Kwankwaso described the governor’s defection to the APC as “the worst political betrayal in the world,” claiming that voters would hold the state government accountable in the upcoming elections.
Mr Kwankwaso stated that the governor’s actions betrayed the trust of both the Kwankwasiyya movement and the people of Kano, urging voters to resist the governor at the polls in the upcoming 2027 election.
Defection
Governor Yusuf defected from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the APC in January. The governor moved with the majority of the party’s elected federal and state lawmakers, and all 44 local government chairpersons in Kano.
Insiders noted that Governor Yusuf felt suffocated by Mr Kwankwaso’s overbearing influence, alleging that Mr Kwankwaso was acting as a “godfather” who dictated executive appointments, commissioners, and major state policies.
Supporters of Governor Yusuf claimed the move was necessary to free his administration from external control and ensure federal alignment for Kano’s development.
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But for Mr Kwankwaso, Governor Yusuf’s defection was an unforgivable act of political treachery.
He said the governor effectively handed over the hard-earned 2023 opposition mandate of the Kwankwasiyya movement directly to their rivals, the APC (led nationally by President Bola Tinubu and locally by Kwankwaso’s arch-rival, Abdullahi Ganduje).
Mr Kwankwaso later abandoned the NNPP for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), promoted as a coalition of the opposition.
However, he and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Obi, have joined forces under a new opposition platform, NDC.
