- President Bola Tinubu held separate, closed-door meetings on Tuesday with former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and former Defence Minister, Badaru Abubakar.
- The meetings occurred just 24 hours after New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) chieftain, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
- Along with Kwankwaso, high-profile figures including Nasiru Gawuna and Aminu Gwarzo have joined the ADC, sparking a wave of political realignment in the North.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, received two key political allies at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for individual consultations.
The first to arrive was the immediate past National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, followed shortly by the recently resigned Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Judge Frees 37 Inmates Over Prolonged Detention in Akwa Ibom
- Trump Threatens Iran Over Energy Attacks
- Tinubu Excludes Kemi Badenoch from UK State Visit Itinerary
Both men exited the State House without addressing journalists regarding the specifics of their discussions.
The visits are widely seen as a response to the “defection tsunami” currently hitting the All Progressives Congress and the NNPP in the Northwest.
The landscape of Kano politics was significantly altered on Monday when Rabiu Kwankwaso led a group of top politicians to the ADC.
This move was followed on Tuesday by the counter-defection of eight NNPP members of the House of Representatives to the APC, an event Ganduje personally witnessed before his meeting with the President.
Political analysts suggest the President is moving to stabilize the party’s base in Kano and Jigawa states.
In Jigawa, reports indicate a brewing crisis between Badaru Abubakar and Governor Umar Namadi, with suggestions that some of Badaru’s loyalists may also be considering a move to the ADC.
Despite the exits, Ganduje remained optimistic during a brief press interaction at the House of Representatives earlier in the day.
He downplayed Kwankwaso’s move to the ADC and expressed confidence that the APC would secure victory for both President Tinubu and Governor Abba Yusuf in the 2027 general elections.
The meetings also come on the heels of the 4th APC Elective National Convention, where Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda was elected as the substantive National Chairman to succeed Ganduje.
With several cabinet members and party chieftains currently navigating internal crises and new political affiliations, these State House consultations appear to be a critical step in the President’s 2027 strategy.
