Controversy, as NNPP big wigs misses wedding ceremony of Sen. Kawu’s children

Controversy is trailing the invitation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, to the personal ceremonies of an opposition senator in Kano.

Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South Senatorial District under the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), defected from the APC in the build-up to the 2023 elections following a protracted leadership crisis in the party.

In a statement on Friday, the deputy senate president said he led a delegation of federal lawmakers to Mr Sumaila’s children’s wedding.

Messrs Jibrin and Ganduje also on Saturday attended the first convocation ceremony of Al-Istiqama University, a private university reportedly founded by Mr Sulaiman in the Sumaila Local Government Area of Kano.

The developments have caused disquiet among members of the NNPP on social media and other platforms amid speculation that the NNPP senator would defect to the APC.

PREMIUM TIMES understands that Mr Sumaila and several of his colleagues from the NNPP from the Kano South had opposed Governor Yusuf’s decision on the reinstatement of the deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, and the repeal of the State Emirate Council Law 2019 that gave the state five emirate councils.

The lawmakers from the Kano southern district said the dissolution of the four emirates created by the immediate past administration of former Governor Ganduje and the removal of all five emirs were against the interest of their constituents.