Gawuna’s Phone ‘Not Reachable’ as Tinubu Mounts Pressure to Stop His Defection

 

Gawuna’s phone “not reachable” as Tinubu mounts pressure to stop his defection to Kwankwasiyya⁠�

Gawuna goes silent as Tinubu rallies APC leaders to stop his defection to Kwankwasiyya⁠�

🗞️ **SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE FEATURE

“Gawuna’s Phone ‘Not Reachable’ as Tinubu Mounts Pressure to Stop His Defection”**

I. A POLITICALLY CHARGED SILENCE

In the heart of northern Nigeria’s political landscape, silence has spoken louder than statements.

For days, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna — a central figure in Kano State politics, a former deputy governor, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2023 election — has been unreachable. His phone, according to multiple sources within political circles, remains switched off or in “Do Not Disturb” mode. This has raised eyebrows across Abuja and Kano, as **pressure reportedly intensifies from the presidency to stop his impending defection from the APC to the influential Kwankwasiyya Movement and possibly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 election cycle. �

Daily Nigerian +1

Political insiders described the situation as unprecedented in recent memory, not because politicians often consider crossing party lines — that is a long‑standing feature of Nigeria’s political culture — but because the stakes attach not merely to a personal decision, but to a potential seismic shift in the power dynamics of Kano State, and by extension, national electoral outcomes.

Gawuna’s prolonged inaccessibility has transformed what might have been a routine political maneuver into a national talking point — illustrating both the fragility and fluidity of Nigerian party allegiance on the eve of crucial elections.

II. WHO IS NASIRU YUSUF GAWUNA — AND WHY HE MATTERS

To understand the gravity of the situation, one must look at who Gawuna is in Nigeria’s political equation.

Born on 6 August 1967 in Kano State, Gawuna has become one of the most recognizable political operatives of his generation in Nigeria’s North. His early political career saw him serve as Commissioner for Agriculture under Governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Abdullahi Umar Ganduje before becoming deputy governor in 2018 under Governor Ganduje’s administration. �

Wikipedia

In 2023, he contested the governorship election under the APC banner and polled over 800,000 votes in a fiercely contested race. His strong showing cemented his reputation as a political force with considerable grassroots support, especially among youth and key civic constituencies. �

TheStar

But his political influence extends beyond vote counts. As an insider in Kano politics — one of Nigeria’s most populous and strategically significant states — Gawuna has been seen as a potential kingmaker whose allegiance could tip broader alliances and recalibrate power equations in the region.

That is why his potential defection — and apparent unavailability — has become a subject of national discourse.

III. REPORTS OF DEFECTING TO KWANKWASÍYYA AND THE ADC

For weeks, political chatter — much of it amplified on social media and within political networks — indicated that Gawuna was weighing a departure from the APC toward the Kwankwasiyya Movement — the political bloc associated with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso — and, eventually, the African Democratic Congress. �

Daily Nigerian

The Kwankwasiyya Movement, rooted deeply in Kano’s political history, has long been a dominant force in local politics, often mobilising supporters on platforms of regional identity and grassroots empowerment. The possibility of Gawuna’s alignment with this bloc — and with the ADC — represents a potential realignment of considerable political weight. Some analysts suggest that such an alliance could challenge the APC’s grip in Kano and beyond. �

TheStar

Reports state that a delegation led by the chief imam of Gawuna’s neighbourhood mosque paid homage to Kwankwaso, deepening speculation about the former deputy governor’s shifting political allegiances. �

TheStar

IV. TINUBU’S INTERVENTION — WHAT’S BEING SAID

According to insiders speaking to reporters, the pressure to keep Gawuna within the APC is coming from the highest levels of the federal government — including President Bola Tinubu himself. �

Daily Nigerian

Key party figures are said to have been directed to persuade Gawuna to stay, with offers reportedly discussed to secure his loyalty through strategic political appointments or candidacies — including an automatic senatorial ticket for the Kano Central Senatorial District in the 2027 elections. �

TheStar

One APC source reportedly told journalists that the president assigns senior advisers and even top lawmakers to engage with Gawuna directly — though these efforts, as of this week, have reportedly yielded no response. �

TheStar

Party insiders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the situation as tense — suggesting that the risk is not only losing a key figure but also potentially weakening the APC’s structural base in Kano State, a region critical to the party’s electoral math. �

TheStar

V. GAWUNA’S INACCESSIBILITY — COINCIDENCE OR STRATEGY?

Officially, there has been no public statement from Gawuna clarifying his position or responding to attempts to reach him. Instead, what has emerged is a narrative from political actors that his phone is deliberately switched off or unreachable — interpreted by many as a strategic choice rather than mere happenstance. �

Daily Nigerian

A source close to Gawuna’s camp told reporters that he left Nigeria for Umrah during the Ramadan period and extended his trip to a private vacation abroad, further fuelling speculation that his absence was premeditated and timed to coincide with rising political pressure. �

TheStar

Some commentators interpret Gawuna’s unavailability as a calculated political maneuver — a way to delay negotiations until his next political choice is fully formed. Others see it as an effort to limit internal pressure from party figures intent on keeping him within the APC fold.

VI. INTERNAL APC RESPONSE AND STRATEGY DISCUSSIONS

The APC is reportedly operating on several fronts to retain Gawuna:

Direct Presidential Engagement: Pressure from the presidency itself, with senior advisers and party leaders tasked with outreach. �

TheStar

Electoral Incentives: Possible promise of automatic ticketing in a safe senatorial seat. �

TheStar

Local Leadership Appeals: Engagement of senior party officials within Kano to negotiate on behalf of the party.

But these efforts have so far been undermined by the difficulty of reaching Gawuna — a point that has underlined internal concerns within the APC about communication breakdowns between national leaders and state political operatives.

VII. IMPLICATIONS FOR KANO STATE POLITICS

Kano State holds outsized significance in Nigeria’s political landscape. As one of the most populous states and a historically competitive political theatre, shifts in allegiance by influential figures like Gawuna could send ripples across party lines and electoral strategies.

Political analysts warn that a Gawuna‑Kwankwasiyya alliance could siphon away crucial support from the APC, driving momentum in favor of rival blocs in a state where local dynamics often forecast national trends. �

TheStar

Furthermore, dissatisfaction within the APC over perceived sidelining of loyal figures like Gawuna after the 2023 elections reportedly fuels internal tensions, amplifying calls for strategic reassessment. �

TheStar

VIII. REACTIONS FROM OPPOSITION AND CIVIL SOCIETY

While mainstream political parties watch developments closely, civil society commentators warn that such high‑stakes maneuvering underscores the transactional nature of Nigerian politics — where loyalty is frequently negotiated rather than assumed.

Critics argue that the fluidity of political affiliations weakens ideological commitment and detracts from policy‑centred governance debates ahead of the 2027 elections. Some social commentators on platforms like Reddit have further expressed frustration with perceived political instability and prioritisation of power plays over public service. �

Reddit

IX. WHAT NEXT? PREDICTING GAWUNA’S NEXT MOVE

With his phone still unreachable and political pressure reportedly mounting, speculation grows about the former deputy governor’s next steps:

Will Gawuna officially announce his defection, bringing an end to weeks of political conjecture?

Can the APC secure his loyalty and avert a potentially damaging political shift?

Might his accessibility — or lack thereof — become a strategic advantage in negotiations?

At this point, neither confirmed public statements nor clear political moves have emerged from Gawuna’s camp, leaving both supporters and detractors waiting in anticipation.

X. CONCLUSION: AN UNREACHABLE PHONE, A GLOBAL STAGE

In the end, what initially seemed a curious anecdote — a politician’s phone being “not reachable” — has rapidly grown into a major political issue with far‑reaching implications for Nigeria’s party politics and electoral calculus.

At its core, the Gawuna narrative encapsulates the unpredictability of Nigerian political life: a blend of personal ambition, party strategy, grassroots sentiment, and high‑stakes negotiation, all unfolding in public view as the nation gears up

for what promises to be one of its most consequential election cycles in recent history.