A proposed political alliance between President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former Kano State governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, reportedly collapsed due to what party insiders described as excessive and unrealistic demands.
Kwankwaso was said to have been wooed by the APC because of the perceived electoral strength of his Kwankwasiyya movement and the NNPP’s showing in the 2023 general election. APC leaders viewed him as a key political bridge into Kano State and the wider North-West, prompting several meetings between him and President Tinubu, particularly in Abuja.
However, sources told THISDAY that the negotiations broke down after Kwankwaso allegedly demanded control of up to 20 per cent of the APC’s national structure, in addition to seeking a vice-presidential slot and political guarantees stretching to the 2031 election cycle.
Senior APC figures said these demands immediately raised concerns, especially as preparations for the 2027 elections gathered momentum. According to one source, the request for a 20 per cent stake in the party’s national structure became the ultimate deal breaker.
“Even President Bola Tinubu has never asked for a percentage share of the APC,” a source familiar with the talks said. “That demand alone ended the discussion. The vice-presidential slot was never up for negotiation, and there was no basis for talks about 2031 at this point.”
Another top APC chieftain noted that negotiators were particularly unsettled by Kwankwaso’s insistence on long-term assurances, suggesting an attempt to influence the party’s succession plans well beyond 2027.
“He was clearly overreaching,” the source said.
Following the stalemate, APC sources revealed that President Tinubu adjusted his political strategy. Attention reportedly shifted toward strengthening ties with Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, with the presidency concluding that incumbency, federal leverage, and direct engagement would yield better results than prolonged negotiations with Kwankwaso.
A source added that the turning point came when it became evident that Kwankwaso no longer wielded absolute control over Kano’s political landscape, particularly amid growing divisions between him and his former political protégé.
The collapse of the talks has since sparked debate over whether Kwankwaso’s demands were too ambitious or a strategic miscalculation.
