Kwankwaso under fire over son's pick as Kano NDC governorship running mate

The nomination of Mustapha Kwankwaso as the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) deputy governorship candidate in Kano State has sparked intense criticism of his father, with many labelling the choice a political miscalculation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Mustapha Kwankwaso is the eldest son of the former Kano State Governor and current NDC deputy presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

His nomination on Monday as the running mate to Aminu Abdulsalam followed his resignation in January as the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in the government of his brother-in-law, Governor Abba Yusuf.

The dynasty backlash: Nepotism vs. merit

Kano has a history of radical, populist politics anchored on the legacy of Aminu Kano’s Talakawa movement.

Critics have accused Mr Kwankwaso the father of betrayal of the state’s principled political ideology by trying to establish a family dynasty.

They argued that overlooking veteran Kwankwasiyya party stalwarts, such as Shehu Sagagi, Rufa’i Hanga, and Lamin Baffa from the heart of the central zone to pick his son risks alienating the NDC’s grassroots base.

Pairing an older party loyalist like Mr Abdulsalam with the junior Kwankwaso was described by critics as a massive political gamble.

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They said instead of bringing fresh regional balance or a massive independent voting bloc to the ticket, Mustapha would be viewed as his father’s proxy.

Kano is the crown jewel of northern Nigerian politics due to its large voting population. For the NDC and the OK Movement, losing ground in the state due to candidates nomination could derail their momentum to challenge the ruling APC in the 2027 presidential election.

Jafar Jafar, publisher of Daily Nigerian, noted that Kano State has produced highly experienced administrators as deputy governors, such as Abdu Dawakintofa, Wada Abubakar, Hafiz Abubakar, and B.B. Faruk.

“In contrast, Mustapha Kwankwaso is the least experienced deputy governorship candidate the state has ever produced—one who lacks the capacity to preside over state affairs in the absence of his principal,” Mr Jafar stated in a Facebook post.

“Mustapha’s nomination as deputy governor derails the core ideology of the Kwankwasiyya movement. To be fair and just to the people of Kano, those of us who know Mustapha well are fully aware that he is unqualified for the position, whether considering his educational background or his interpersonal skills.

“This nomination is a direct disservice to the many experienced individuals who have laboured and sacrificed for the Kwankwasiyya movement. Remarkably, even Rabiu Kwankwaso himself has never trusted Mustapha to manage his personal businesses—not even as a farm manager. Yet, he is now positioning him to manage the resources and lives of millions of people.

“This decision must be reconsidered before it is too late,” Mr Jafar wrote.

Also, former presidential spokesperson, Bashir Ahmad, alleged that his son’s consideration was the primary reason that the NDC selected its governorship candidate from outside the Kano Central zone.

“This may well have been one of the reasons Nasir Gawuna did not secure the (NDC governorship) ticket. Since both he and Mustapha Kwankwaso are from Kano Central and it would have been politically impractical for Mustapha Kwankwaso to serve as his running mate,” Mr Ahmad stated.

Mr Ahmad added that it would be an unwise decision for the NDC to field a father as a presidential running mate and his son as a deputy governorship candidate within the same political season.

Responding to the development, human rights activist Nuhu Dantani warned that the decision threatens to transition Nigeria’s democratic governance into a monarchical system.

READ ALSO: ANALYSIS: How Obi/Kwankwaso ticket could reshape 2027 contests in North-west Nigeria

“How will you feel if President Bola Tinubu at the end of his tenure nominated his son Seyi Tinubu as a presidential candidate, now that Nigerian democracy is turning into monarchy.

“The political calculation by NDC in Kano didn’t add up,” Mr Dantani said in separate social media posts.

Moreover, Aminu Ahmad, a former media aide to former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, stated that Mr. Kwankwaso has no respect or regard for the sensitivities of Kano and its people.

Mr Ahmad alleged that Mr Kwankwaso is driven solely by self-interest.

Responding to backlash on Lumana Radio International, Kwankwasiyya spokesperson, Habibu Mailemu, stated that the governorship candidate, Mr Abdulsalam, chose his running mate without interference from Mr Kwankwaso.

According to Mr Mailemu, Mr Kwankwaso—along with other Kwankwasiyya stakeholders—was only notified by the governorship candidate after the running mate was selected.

Mr Mailemu added that the candidate likely considered the younger Kwankwaso for the role due to his youthfulness, which he said aligns with the candidate’s push for youth inclusion in politics.