As permutations for 2027 intensify in Kano, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf faces a delicate balancing act across the state’s three senatorial zones. One question now tests that balance: the fate of Rt. Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum in the Deputy Governor race.
Rurum, former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly and current member representing Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure Federal Constituency, has become the rallying point for Kano South’s long-standing demand for inclusion. While he currently sits in the APC after a high-profile defection in April 2025, his political shadow still shapes the prospect for winning the 2027 Governorship election. For Gov. Yusuf, shutting the door on a Rurum-type figure from Kano South is a gamble with 8 clear risks:
1. Zonal Equity: Kano North is secured, Kano South is not.
It should be emphasized that Kano North is a stronghold of the APC, having produced notable figures including Deputy Senate President Senator Barau I. Jibrin, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Engr. Abba Kabir Bichi, and former DSS Director-General Yusuf Magaji Bichi, among many others. Since 1999, the senatorial zone has produced Deputy Governors four times and a Governor for eight years. With or without appointing another Deputy Governor from the zone, the strength of the APC may not likely be affected. In stark contrast, Kano South has 16 LGAs and has not produced a Governor or Deputy Governor since 1992. People in the zone describe 2027 as a “turning point” to correct that lopsided history. Any ticket that sidelines Kano South’s top contenders will be read as continuation of marginalization, while Kano North remains politically overrepresented.
2. His Rich Profile Cannot Compare to Other Contenders:
Rurum’s resume cannot be compared with those of other contenders like Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and Murtala Sule Garo. He was a councilor in Lagos State, a Supervisory Councilor in Rano, Majority Leader in the Kano State House of Assembly, served two terms as Speaker, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives for Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure. At the federal level, he chairs the House Committees on Pension and Air Force. That mix of local government experience, state legislative leadership, federal committee control, and two decades of grassroots penetration is unmatched. Neither of the other contenders carries that blend of state-level authority, national visibility, and cross-zonal alliances. Dropping a profile of that weight for lighter contenders signals to voters that competence and reach are negotiable.
3. Rurum Is APC’s Best Campaign Poster Against the Ever-Growing Kwankwasiyya in the Kano South Senatorial Zone:
If the APC also sidelines Rurum, Kwankwasiyya can claim vindication. Picking Rurum who is one of the most powerful political leaders in Kano South will give an upper hand to the ruling APC during campaign processions. Otherwise Kwankwasiyya’s ADC will campaign in 2027 on the message that the ruling party betrayed Kano South once again, which will add to the weaknesses of the party in the zone.
4. People in the Zone Are Organized and Public:
People in Kano South have already made formal appeals for a Deputy Governor from the zone, naming Rurum as consensus. Ignoring an organized bloc is different from ignoring lone aspirants. It creates a disciplined opposition voice inside the state.
5. 2027 Requires Kano South Margins:
Kano Central remains Kwankwasiyya’s base, while Kano North is a battleground firmly leaning APC. The path to a comfortable second-term victory runs through dominant margins in Kano South. A ticket perceived as hostile to the zone complicates that math.
6. Rurum’s Political Network Across the State:
Beyond Kano South, Rurum’s influence cuts across the three senatorial zones. His time as Speaker gave him allies in Kano Central and Kano North legislative caucuses. His House committee positions link him to federal networks, contractors, and interest groups with state-wide reach. That network is transferable at the ballot box and in post-election governance. Dropping a candidate with that footprint forces the Governor’s camp to confront a rival structure that does not end at the zonal border.
7. Rurum Is an Administrative Melting Pot:
Some of the politicians have only federal experience, some combine local and federal political leadership, but Rurum is like an administrative melting pot, where rich local, state and federal administrative capacities are merged together in one person. From councilor in Lagos and Supervisory Councilor in Rano, to Majority Leader and two-term Speaker of the State Assembly, to his current role chairing federal House Committees on Pension and Air Force, he has operated at every tier of government. That fusion means he understands ward-level mobilization, state legislative negotiation, and federal policy implementation. Replacing that blend with politicians of narrower experience weakens both campaign structure and governing capacity.
8. It Defines Gov. Yusuf’s Second-Term Brand:
First terms are won on promise. Second terms are won on inclusion. A ticket that is seen as punishing Kano South over 2023-2025 disputes brands the administration as sectional. A ticket that heals the rift brands it as statesmanlike.
In conclusion, Governor Yusuf must resist succumbing to pressures from political actors seeking to narrow his options. He cannot afford to give up to a choice dictated by power brokers, nor to appoint people of questionable past whose records cannot withstand public scrutiny. Above all, he cannot be indifferent to the plight of Kano South — the largest, most strategic zone in the 2027 elections. The decision on Deputy Governor will either consolidate a winning coalition or fracture it. In Kano’s zonal politics, Kano South is no longer asking. It is demanding. And 2027 will answer.
