The Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District, Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, has commenced consultations with political allies, stakeholders and leaders of his district amid speculation over his possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This comes as Senator Hanga was said to have convened a meeting with his constituency coordinators drawn from the 15 local government areas that make up Kano Central, where he discussed the state of his political movement and sought their views on his next political step.

In a statement posted on Hanga’s official social media page, the meeting focused on “key political issues” and the current realities within his political camp.

It was also reported that the embattled senator, who appears to have parted ways with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), briefed the coordinators on recent political developments affecting his political structure.

The statement said Hanga specifically requested the opinion of the grassroots leaders on his political future, “particularly regarding the possibility of moving to another political party,” as part of wider consultations before reaching a final decision.

“The meeting forms part of the senator’s continuous engagement with critical stakeholders in his political family ahead of any major decision concerning his political future,” the statement added.

Although Hanga did not disclose the political party he may be considering, his consultations come at a time of heightened political realignments across Kano State and the country, with several prominent politicians reviewing their alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The senator, who was elected to the Red Chamber on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), reportedly defected briefly to the ADC before later joining the NDC. He has remained a key figure in discussions surrounding the evolving political landscape in Kano.

His latest engagement with constituency leaders came on the heels of similar meetings with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the National Chairman of the APC, Yilwatda. The consultations signal an effort to build consensus within his political base before making any far-reaching decision on his future.

However, the State Chairman of the NNPP and a diehard Kwankwaso supporter, Alhaji Hashimu Dungurawa, was recently quoted as saying that Senator Hanga was planning to part ways with the Kwankwasiyya movement.

“Senator Hanga told me himself that never in his life will he drop his loyalty to Kwankwaso and shun the Kwankwasiyya movement. This he personally confirmed to me”, Dungurawa insisted.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, says President Bola Tinubu was a good man before he became president.
Lawal made this assertion during a programme on Symfoni TV.

According to him, President Tinubu was a good listener, who would do whatever it takes to solve any problem one took to him.

Lawal claimed that Tinubu suddenly changed when he became president, alleging that he was introduced to religious bigots.

“President Tinubu was an excellent human being before he became president. If you’re in a problem, he’ll go to whatever length to solve it. He was a good listener, took advice, and was kind. I used to liken him to Buhari because he was also very kind and sympathetic to people.

“He was an excellent human being, but he went on to become president, and something happened. I know the time he changed, and I told him. Around 2022, Tinubu relocated to Abuja to pursue his presidential ambition, and our people, the northerners who were his friends, surrounded him, and he was caged.

“They introduced him to religious bigots who claimed they knew Buhari, and that was when he started changing. I had access to him then in Abuja.

“He’s someone you can like. Bola has given some people a stupendous amount of money to help them out of crises without expecting anything. But the thing about Tinubu is that he has a gift. He can see your future returns in advance. He does things like that.

“He was a good man at that time, but he has lost his soul now. He’s someone who’s in charge all the time, but he doesn’t look in charge anymore as long as he gets his own share of whatever he’s looking for. The rest they can loot however they want. I wish he could go back to what he was before. Nigeria will be great,” he said.

Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Joash Amupitan, to focus on ensuring a free, fair, and credible election, stressing that credible elections remain the strongest antidote to intra-party impunity.

Okechukwu made the remark in response to the INEC Chairman’s recent call on political parties to adhere strictly to the principles of internal democracy during a courtesy visit to former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna, Niger State.

In a statement he signed, the foundational member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said the INEC Chairman has consistently emphasised the issue of internal democracy, having made similar remarks in Akwa Ibom in March 2026 and again in Abuja in June 2026.

He said: “Whereas one agrees with the Chairman that strict observance of internal democracy within political parties is of paramount importance; the greatest incentive for political parties to uphold internal democracy is the consistent conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections by INEC.”

He argued that political scientists have long maintained that political parties are more likely to respect democratic principles and popular will when electoral processes are credible and transparent.

“Political party leaders will do everything within the ambit of the law to keep their houses in order and present the most acceptable and popular candidates when they are confident that elections will be free and fair.

“In such circumstances, they are compelled to obey the wishes of the electorate. However, when elections are perceived as lacking transparency, internal party conflicts and impunity are more likely to thrive,” he said.

Okechukwu also dismissed claims by other political parties that INEC is a hand-gun in the area of ensuring free and fair elections.

He said that APC needs free and fair elections as core patriots who are committed to the genuine growth of the country’s fledgling democracy and overall progress of every Nigerian.

“Certainly not,” he said. “I dismiss the handgun allegation; APC needs free and fair elections, not only for legitimacy with our 31 state governors, but for the genuine growth of our fledgling democracy and overall good governance.”

He maintained that the APC remains a formidable political force and that credible elections would ultimately strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and political parties alike.