By Abigail David

Former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has maintained that Abba Kabir Yusuf and former governor Abdullahi Ganduje remain his political protégés despite ongoing political tensions in Kano State.

Kwankwaso made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement at his Miller Road residence in Kano.

Reacting to recent comments attributed to Yusuf regarding the use of the term “my boy,” Kwankwaso jokingly told supporters that some individuals no longer wanted to be referred to that way.

He later stated in Hausa that both Yusuf and Ganduje rose politically under his mentorship, insisting that acknowledging such a relationship should not be viewed as disrespectful.

The gathering responded with applause as Kwankwaso defended his influence on the political careers of the two politicians.

Kwankwaso has remained one of the most influential political figures in Kano, having served as governor, minister and senator over the years.

Governor Yusuf is widely seen as Kwankwaso’s political ally and successor, while Ganduje, once Kwankwaso’s deputy governor, later fell out with him over political disagreements.

Ganduje had previously rejected claims of a godfather-son political relationship, although he acknowledged working closely with Kwankwaso during their time in government.

By Abigail David

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general election after defeating Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in the party’s primary election.

The result was announced on Wednesday night at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, where the party leadership led by David Mark presented the ADC flag to Atiku.

According to the official result, Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes to defeat Amaechi, who secured 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen received 177,120 votes.

A breakdown of the figures showed Atiku led Amaechi by 1,342,253 votes and defeated Hayatu-Deen by 1,669,250 votes.

The ADC began its presidential primary process on May 25, with members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participating in the exercise.

The party adopted the direct primary method after all three aspirants declined calls to step down for a consensus candidate. An affirmation process had earlier been considered before the direct primary option was adopted in line with the Electoral Act 2026.

Following his victory, Atiku called for unity within the party and appealed to Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to work together in strengthening the ADC ahead of the 2027 election.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has confirmed his membership of the Accord Party and declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the party’s platform. Speaking with journalists, Hashim said his political structure had begun nationwide grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, more than one million supporters have been mobilised into the Accord Party as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s presence across the country. “We have quietly mobilised about one million of our supporters into the Accord Party, and we are still doing so,” he said in a statement shared by his media team.

Hashim also reacted to comments reportedly made by a governor suggesting the Accord Party would not field a presidential candidate in 2027.He described the remarks as inappropriate, insisting that no individual could determine the outcome of Nigeria’s presidential election.

“The presidency of Nigeria is too big for anyone to allocate. It is in the hands of God and the Nigerian people,” he said. Hashim said his ambition is focused on offering Nigerians what he described as a credible alternative centred on national unity, economic recovery, and inclusive development.