The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, has held the Kano State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Abbas, responsible for the party’s defeat in the 2023 general elections.
Ata warned that retaining Abbas as chairman would lead to further crisis and possible mass defections from the party.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ and caucus meeting in Kano, Ata asserted that Abbas’ leadership significantly contributed to APC’s poor electoral performance. He accused the chairman of making reckless statements that alienated voters and damaged the party’s reputation in the state.
“We would not take it lightly if the current Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, is imposed on us for a fourth term. This will surely result in us defecting immediately from the party,” Ata warned.
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“We are saying it loud and clear, I swear, if Abdullahi Abbas is given another chance, all of us will decamp from the party, and APC will crash and lose 2027. This is my message to anybody who cares to listen.”
Ata further warned that any attempt to reinstate Abbas would cause serious internal crises. “The arrogant and misguided disposition of Abdullahi Abbas as State Chairman, questioning the powerful position of God, was among the many negative tendencies that crippled and made the party lose power in 2023.
And up till today, the same person has not changed. Therefore, we are strongly warning that if Abdullahi Abbas is given another chance, everyone should consider the party losing 2027,” he stated.
The minister also claimed that APC had originally won the 2023 gubernatorial contest with Nasiru Gawuna and Murtala Sule Garo as the candidates for governor and deputy governor, respectively.
However, he attributed their eventual loss to Abbas’ controversial statements, which he said undermined the party’s standing with voters.
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Ata’s remarks come amid growing speculation that the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, favors Abbas to continue leading the party in Kano State. This move has stirred significant controversy among party members, many of whom are dissatisfied with Abbas’ leadership.
Additionally, a former member of the House of Representatives for Fagge, Hon. Aminu Sulaiman Goro, echoed Ata’s concerns about APC’s future in Kano.
While welcoming efforts to reunite party members, Goro emphasized the importance of safeguarding the integrity and reputation of political stakeholders. He warned that if reconciliation efforts failed, party members would have no choice but to seek alternative political platforms.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by APC elders and ward leaders from the ten wards making up Fagge Local Government, as well as other key stakeholders who expressed concerns over the party’s leadership and its future direction.
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Ata reaffirmed his commitment to resolving internal disputes within the party, vowing to visit different local government areas in Kano metropolis to mediate and restore unity among APC members.
However, he maintained that the party’s stability could not be guaranteed as long as Abbas remained chairman.
With tensions rising within the Kano APC, party leaders face mounting pressure to address internal divisions and chart a new course ahead of the 2027 elections.