THE National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has visited the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, at the ancient Kofar Kudu Palace in Kano.
The APC National Chairman, who was accompanied by senior members and leaders of the party in Kano, was received by Emir Sanusi behind closed doors.
Although the outcome of the visit, which lasted several hours, was not made public, the presence of Prof. Nentawe at the palace has further reinforced the critical role of Emir Sanusi in Kano politics.
However, a palace source revealed that the meeting between the APC leaders and the emirate centred on next year’s general elections and the party’s quest to secure the support of Emir Sanusi for the success of its candidates.
The palace source recalled the critical role allegedly played by Emir Sanusi against the then ruling party, which eventually contributed to the victory of the opposition party in Kano.
According to the source, “The national leadership of the APC was here to solicit the palace’s support and endorsement of all APC candidates in Kano. They have realised the dynamics of Kano politics.
“The APC recognises the influence of Emir Sanusi within the traditional council and the authority he commands at the grassroots in terms of mobilisation and sensitisation on the rights and dignity of the people of Kano.
“I want to believe that the APC is aware of the strength and capacity of the Emir of Kano during the last election, even with a sitting governor. So, the APC National Chairman and the leadership in the state are doing their very best to consolidate their strength through the palace,” the source disclosed.
Meanwhile, a public affairs analyst, Usman Usman, has dismissed the insinuation that Prof. Nentawe’s visit to Emir Sanusi amounted to a dangerous political miscalculation because he allegedly ignored the 15th Emir, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.
Usman argued that the engagement between the APC national leadership and Emir Sanusi should instead be viewed as part of a broader effort to consolidate the party’s political position and realign its structures of governance and influence in Kano ahead of the 2027 elections.
Usman, however, alleged that the weakness of the argument lies in the repeated assertion that Aminu Ado Bayero commands a substantial political constituency capable of determining the electoral fortunes of the APC.
According to Usman, “Political influence is not measured merely by claims of popularity. If an individual is said to command a decisive electoral following, such influence should be demonstrated through observable political outcomes.
“The 2023 Kano governorship election provides an important test of this claim. Aminu Ado Bayero was widely associated with and supported former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his governorship candidate, Nasiru Gawuna.
“Yet, the APC suffered defeat in Kano, including reportedly losing even at the emir’s palace polling unit, before subsequently losing woefully at the local government and state levels.