Ganduje’s son visits Kwankwaso in Kano, pledges allegiance to Kwankwasiyya Movement

Kano State on Thursday witnessed a scene few would have imagined only months ago., as Abdul-Aziz Umar Ganduje, son of former Kano State governor and ex–APC national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stepped into the residence of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the undisputed leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement. It was not just a visit; it was a statement, rich with political subtext, resonating far beyond the walls of the red-capped movement’s spiritual home.

Abdul-Aziz arrived not in neutral colours, but clad in the unmistakable white-and-red regalia of Kwankwasiyya, a visual language that spoke louder than any press statement. The choice of attire, to many observers, amounted to a symbolic pledge of allegiance to a movement that has defined Kano politics for decades and stood in fierce opposition to his father’s political camp.

He was warmly received by Senator Kwankwaso himself, in the company of the Kano State Deputy Governor, Comrade Abdulsalam Gwarzo. Photographs from the meeting, later shared on Facebook by Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, captured smiles, handshakes, and a calm confidence, images that have since ignited intense political conversations across Kano and beyond.

Notably, no official statement explained the purpose of the visit. Yet, in Kano’s deeply symbolic political culture, silence often speaks volumes. The imagery alone was enough to send shockwaves through political circles, especially given the long-standing and often bitter rivalry between Kwankwaso and Abdul-Aziz’s father, Dr. Ganduje.

The timing of the visit adds further weight to its significance as the rivalry between the two political heavyweights has been reignited in recent weeks following the dramatic defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, once Kwankwaso’s protégé, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to Ganduje’s APC. Against this backdrop of shifting alliances and bruised loyalties, Abdul-Aziz’s visit appears less accidental and more like a deliberate political message.

Whether this moment marks a personal political journey for Abdul-Aziz Umar Ganduje, a strategic realignment, or simply a symbolic outreach, one fact is undeniable: Kano’s political landscape is once again in motion. In a state where symbols matter and history casts a long shadow, a son’s visit, dressed in red may well signal the beginning of a new and emotionally charged chapter in the unfolding story of Kano politics.