Former Governor of Kano State and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, appears set to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as he formally sets conditions for his defection.

Multiple sources confirmed that Kwankwaso has written to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, outlining terms for his return to the ruling party.

According to party insiders, the letter was submitted directly to the APC national leadership in Abuja, bypassing the Kano State chapter due to his long-standing rivalry with the state leadership.

A senior official at the APC national secretariat revealed that discussions between Kwankwaso and the party leadership had reached an advanced stage following a recent meeting he held with the presidency on the matter.

“As a party, we will abide by whatever decision the leaders feel is in the interest of the party,” the source said.

Kwankwaso, who played a pivotal role in NNPP’s victory in Kano during the 2023 presidential and governorship elections — including Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s defeat of the APC’s Nasir Yusuf Gawuna — is said to be seeking assurances before rejoining the APC.

According to reliable sources, the conditions outlined in his letter include securing the APC governorship ticket for Governor Yusuf in the next election and being offered a prominent position in a future APC-led federal administration.

“We are aware of the letter he submitted but it’s not something we can discuss now. If he is coming, we have nothing against that — he is welcome,” a Kano APC source said. “From what we know, he submitted it in Abuja, not in Kano. Whatever the case, once everything is finalised, it will be made public.”

Although those close to Kwankwaso remain tight-lipped about the timeline for his official defection, sources close to Governor Yusuf confirmed that the Kano governor is ready to follow his mentor’s lead.

“Our governor has no objection at all,” one insider disclosed. “He is only waiting for the green light from his mentor.”