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 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.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike, has said the withdrawal of Siminalayi Fubara from the 2027 Rivers State governorship race is in line with the peace agreement designed to restore political stability in the state.

Speaking on Monday after inspecting infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike said Fubara’s decision was consistent with resolutions reached during reconciliation efforts involving key political stakeholders in Rivers State.

Fubara had earlier announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress governorship primaries, describing the move as one made in the interest of peace, unity and stability after consultations with family and political associates.

According to Wike, the governor’s decision was expected, noting that previous peace negotiations included an understanding that impeachment threats against Fubara would be dropped on the condition that he would not seek a second term.

He also criticised Fubara’s earlier move to obtain APC nomination forms, saying it contradicted the spirit of the agreement and complicated reconciliation efforts.

Wike expressed support for Kingsley Chinda, describing him as a qualified and experienced candidate for the Rivers governorship.

Meanwhile, a group known as Rivers Professionals welcomed Chinda’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate, describing it as a positive step toward competent and inclusive leadership in the state.

The political crisis in Rivers State began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, following a prolonged power struggle with his predecessor, Wike, over control of the state’s political structure.