The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje, has described former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as “a fish out of water, trying to find its way back,” amid speculations that the opposition figure may defect to the ruling party.
Ganduje made the remark while addressing journalists after receiving Yusuf Ata, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, at the APC national secretariat.
He suggested that the party would be open to accepting Kwankwaso if he decided to return.
“The APC is deepening and widening democracy in the country. Kwankwaso is a fish out of water, trying to find its way back into the waters,” Ganduje said.
He continued, “We cannot say we can’t accommodate him, because a friend in need is a friend indeed. We don’t want to leave him completely abandoned. We can still have him in, if he wants to join us.”
He added, “When you see your son running to where he would get shelter and you are a big brother in a big home, I think it is morally right to accommodate him. So, we cannot say we cannot accommodate him.”
In his remarks, Yusuf Ata, a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, said his visit was to show solidarity with Ganduje and support for President Bola Tinubu. “We are strongly behind Tinubu, and we are working round the clock to ensure we deliver Kano State in 2027,” he said.
Speaking on the influence of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Ata said its relevance was declining in Kano politics. “For me, I will not want the former Kano state governor to be welcomed into the APC fold. But I have no choice if our national chairman decides to have him on board,” he stated.
