Ganduje, Yusuf Cannot Deny Being My Political Sons — Kwankwaso

Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje cannot deny rising politically under his influence.

Kwankwaso made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing supporters of the Kwankwasiyya movement at his Miller Road residence in Kano.

The former governor appeared to be reacting to recent comments linked to Governor Yusuf, who reportedly questioned why a 69-year-old politician would refer to a 63-year-old man as “his boy.”

Speaking before a crowd of supporters, Kwankwaso first approached the matter jokingly.

“I was made to understand that a few don’t want to be referred to as my boy,” he said, drawing laughter from members of the audience.

He later spoke more directly in Hausa, insisting that both Yusuf and Ganduje owe their political rise to him.

“If it is not out of disrespect, will Abba Kabir Yusuf say he is not my political son? If it is not out of disrespect, will Abdullahi Umar Ganduje say he is not my political son?” he asked.

The statement was greeted with loud applause from supporters gathered at the event.

Kwankwaso remains one of Kano’s most influential political figures and the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, which has shaped the state’s political direction for years.

Governor Yusuf, a close political ally of Kwankwaso, rose through the ranks of the movement and previously served under his administration before emerging governor on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

Ganduje also worked closely with Kwankwaso for years and served as his deputy governor before succeeding him as governor of Kano State.

However, the relationship between the two politicians later deteriorated following political disagreements that split Kano’s political structure into rival camps.

Ganduje had previously dismissed suggestions that he was politically subordinate to Kwankwaso.

In an earlier interview with the BBC, the former governor said their relationship was based on political partnership rather than a godfather-and-son arrangement.

According to Ganduje, he became Kwankwaso’s deputy after losing in the governorship primaries, while their alliance during a second tenure was based on political understanding.

The latest remarks by Kwankwaso are expected to reignite debates over political loyalty and influence within Kano politics, especially amid shifting alliances ahead of future elections.