Political activities in Kano are gaining momentum as various stakeholder groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have called on Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, to contest the 2027 governorship election in the state.

At an open forum organised on Sunday in Kano, hundreds of supporters under different APC platforms declared Senator Barau as the party’s most credible candidate to reclaim power from the ruling government.

Leading the call, the Managing Director of the North West Development Commission, Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji, said Senator Barau’s record in human capital and infrastructural development made him the right choice for the governorship seat.

Professor Ma’aji noted that Barau’s intervention was instrumental in the establishment of the North West Development Commission.

He also cited the senator’s role in providing scholarships for over 2,000 students, empowering women and youths, and securing employment for more than 120 Kano indigenes in the Nigeria Police Force.

“In the last two years, I personally took over 1,000 students to Dutsinma University, where Senator Barau secured their admissions and paid their school fees completely. We can continue to count his contributions,” Ma’aji stated.

The Director-General of the North West Youth Advancement Network, Ahmad Tijani Salisu, also backed the call, describing Senator Barau as the only candidate capable of creating an enabling environment for youth development in the state.

Salisu added that Barau’s consistent support for youth empowerment and education reflects his commitment to building future leaders.

Responding to the calls, the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, Professor Muhammad Ibn Abdullahi, commended the enthusiasm of APC members and the recognition of Senator Barau’s contributions in health, agriculture, education, security, and human development.

He assured that Senator Barau would continue to impact lives positively and intensify his legislative efforts to promote socio-economic and infrastructural growth in Kano.

The interest groups were drawn from across Kano’s 44 local government areas and included youth and student associations, artisans, religious leaders, and community leaders.

The Guardian reports that no fewer than 1,000 members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Kwankwasiyya Movement in Kano State defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, pledging allegiance to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin.

The defectors, operating under the banner Kwankwasiyya One Blood, announced their decision during a rally held on Sunday at the Fine Time Events Centre in Kano metropolis. They cited the interventions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Barau in the state as the major reason for their defection.

At the event, the group symbolically discarded their red caps — the emblem of the Kwankwasiyya Movement — signalling a break from their former political affiliation.

Leader of the group, Aminu Murtala Minjibir, said they had now renamed themselves Barau Maliya One Blood in solidarity with the Deputy Senate President.

He expressed disappointment with the NNPP’s performance in Kano, saying the party had failed to deliver on its promises.

“We are more than 1,000 in this hall, with members across all 44 local government areas of Kano State. Today is a historic day as we join the train of progress, the APC. We thank Senator Barau for rescuing the people of Kano through his numerous interventions,” Minjibir said.