During the inauguration of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State called on them to work towards ensuring that Kano delivers the highest number of votes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Some people who are unaware of, or have forgotten, the role Kano State played in President Tinubu's victory during the 2023 presidential election are trying to portray the task of securing the highest number of votes for him in 2027 as something extraordinary or almost impossible.
The facts, however, tell a different story.
During the 2023 presidential election, Kano State recorded the second-highest number of votes for President Tinubu after Lagos State. Tinubu received 572,606 votes in Lagos and 517,314 votes in Kano. Thus, Lagos delivered his highest number of votes nationally, while Kano delivered the second-highest.
It is important to note that these results were achieved when the APC faced strong opposition in Kano State. Today, the political landscape has changed significantly, with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and numerous prominent members of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) and the Kwankwasiyya movement having moved into the APC.
This political realignment presents a significant opportunity for the APC to strengthen its position and improve its electoral performance in Kano State in 2027.
A REVIEW OF THE 2023 ELECTION RESULTS IN KANO STATE
Let us revisit the results of the 2023 general election in Kano State to better understand the APC's potential electoral strength ahead of the 2027 elections.
In the 2023 presidential election, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP presidential candidate, secured 997,272 votes in Kano State. Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), received 131,716 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) secured 28,513 votes.
These figures demonstrate the strength of the opposition parties in Kano at the time and the scale of the electoral challenge the APC faced in the state.
In the 2023 gubernatorial election, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, then the NNPP candidate, secured 1,019,602 votes, while the APC candidate received 870,705 votes.
The gubernatorial results further illustrate the political strength of the NNPP at the time. However, the subsequent movement of Governor Yusuf and other prominent political figures into the APC has changed the political calculations ahead of 2027.
THE SENATORIAL DISTRICTS: A CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
The results of the 2023 senatorial elections in Kano North, Kano South, and Kano Central also provide useful insights into the state's political dynamics.
Kano North Senatorial District
Senator Barau I. Jibrin of the APC secured 234,652 votes, while Dr Baffa Bichi, who contested under the NNPP, received 177,014 votes. Dr Bichi has since defected to the APC.
Kano South Senatorial District
Senator Kawu Sumaila, who contested under the NNPP, secured 319,857 votes, while Senator Ibrahim Gaya of the APC received 192,518 votes. Senator Sumaila has since defected to the APC.
Kano Central Senatorial District
Senator Sani Hanga of the NNPP secured 456,787 votes, while A. A. Zaura of the APC received 168,677 votes. Senator Hanga and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, who was also associated with the NNPP during the 2023 election period, have since returned to the APC.
These developments illustrate the significant political realignments that have taken place since the 2023 general election.
Although political defections do not automatically translate into the transfer of voters, the movement of prominent political figures into the APC could strengthen the party's organisational structure, broaden its political reach, and improve its chances of attracting voters in 2027.
WHY THE APC HAS REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC
The foregoing analysis suggests that the political landscape in Kano State has changed considerably since the 2023 general election.
Several influential political figures who previously contested against the APC are now within its ranks. This creates an opportunity for the party to consolidate its support base, strengthen grassroots mobilisation, and build a broader political coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nevertheless, the APC must not assume that political defections alone will guarantee electoral victory. Winning the confidence of voters requires effective leadership, sustained grassroots engagement, internal unity, and a clear commitment to addressing the concerns of the people.
The developmental projects completed or ongoing under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's government could also provide an important foundation for the party's campaign, provided their impact is effectively communicated to the electorate.
Therefore, the question should not simply be whether the APC can win Kano State in 2027. Rather, the critical question is whether the party can translate its expanding political coalition, governance record, and grassroots structures into a substantial increase in votes.
THE ROAD TO MORE THAN TWO MILLION VOTES
The Kano State APC Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council, led by Engr. Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo (ATM), should begin developing a comprehensive strategy to secure more than two million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the 2027 general election.
Achieving this ambitious target will require detailed planning, effective coordination, strong grassroots mobilisation, and sustained engagement with communities across the state's 44 local government areas.
The campaign council should also prioritise unity among party stakeholders, address internal disagreements, strengthen relationships with traditional and community leaders, and ensure that its campaign messages reflect the needs and aspirations of the electorate.
Above all, the party must demonstrate that its political realignment will translate into tangible benefits for the people of Kano State.
With hard work, sacrifice, dedication, strategic planning, and unity, the APC can position itself to pursue the ambitious target of securing more than two million votes for President Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Kano has demonstrated its capacity to deliver a substantial number of votes in a presidential election. The challenge before the APC is to build on that history, consolidate its political strength, and earn the confidence of an even greater number of voters in 2027.
If the party's leaders and campaign structures work together effectively, the goal of making Kano one of the strongest contributors to President Tinubu's electoral success in 2027 is worth pursuing.
Shehu Mustapha Chaji
wrote from Kano.
