Ganduje’s son returns to APC after three months in the NDC, ending a brief political move that had drawn attention in Kano ahead of 2027
Abdulaziz Ganduje, eldest son of former All Progressives Congress national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, has returned to the APC in Kano State after spending about three months with the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, ahead of the 2027 elections.
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Abdulaziz was formally received by APC members and party officials on Sunday, 16 August 2026, at the Ganduje Ward office in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, where he collected his APC membership card again.
His return reverses a political move that had attracted considerable attention in Kano.
Abdulaziz had previously joined the NDC and obtained the party’s nomination form to contest the Dawakin Tofa, Tofa and Rimin Gado Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.
His decision to leave the APC was widely interpreted as potentially bringing him closer to the political camp of former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, whose Kwankwasiyya movement has remained a major force in the state’s politics.
The move was particularly significant because of the longstanding political rivalry between Kwankwaso and Abdulaziz’s father, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Ganduje served as Kano State governor from 2015 to 2023, succeeding Kwankwaso, who governed the state between 2011 and 2015.
The relationship between the two politicians subsequently became one of the defining rivalries in Kano politics, with their competing political structures influencing elections and party alignments across the state.
Against that background, Abdulaziz’s defection to the NDC was viewed by some political observers as more than an individual decision. It was seen as a possible indication of shifting alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
His return to the APC now presents a different picture.
The decision came after the deadline for obtaining nomination forms had already passed, meaning the immediate electoral implications of his return are unclear.
Abdulaziz’s original move to the NDC had been linked to his ambition to contest the federal constituency seat, but his return to the APC after the nomination process closed appears to have changed the direction of that political plan.
The development comes at a time when political parties are already positioning themselves for the 2027 elections, with Kano expected to remain one of the country’s most closely watched political battlegrounds.
Kano’s large electorate and strong political networks have historically made the state important to both presidential and legislative contests.
The rivalry between the Ganduje and Kwankwaso camps also extends beyond individual politicians, reflecting competing political identities that have shaped Kano for more than a decade.
Abdulaziz’s brief stay in the NDC therefore attracted attention partly because of the symbolism surrounding his family name.
His return to the APC suggests that political allegiances in the state remain fluid as politicians weigh their options ahead of the next general election.
For the APC, welcoming Abdulaziz back restores a prominent political family connection at a time when the party is seeking to strengthen its position in Kano.
For the NDC and the wider Kwankwasiyya camp, his departure represents the loss of a prospective candidate who had only recently joined its ranks.
The development also illustrates the unpredictable nature of Nigerian politics, where alliances can shift quickly as electoral calculations, party structures and personal ambitions evolve.
With the 2027 elections still months away, Abdulaziz’s latest move may not be the final word on his political ambitions.
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For now, however, the eldest son of one of Kano’s most influential political figures has returned to the APC, ending a three-month political detour through the NDC.
