The bid of former Kano South Senator, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, to return to the Red Chamber has suffered a major setback. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has opted for a consensus candidate, Kassim Batayya, to fly the party’s flag for the Kano South Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections.
Senator Gaya, a veteran politician and former Governor of Kano State during the Third Republic, had hoped to leverage his recent defection to the NDC to reclaim the seat he held between 2015 and 2023. However, his aspirations were eclipsed by the party’s strategic decision to undergo a consensus-building process rather than a contested primary.
The decision was finalized during a high-stakes consultative meeting held on Sunday at the Miller Road residence of the NDC national leader and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The meeting, which was attended by key stakeholders and party elders, sought to harmonize interests within the party to ensure a united front ahead of the 2027 polls.
Confirming the outcome, Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, announced via a social media post that the party had settled on Kassim Batayya. Batayya, a notable figure within the Kano political circle, is seen by many party insiders as a fresh force capable of consolidating the NDC’s influence in the southern senatorial district.
In a video later released by the media aide, Senator Gaya was seen expressing his support for Batayya’s candidacy. Despite conceding to the party’s supremacy, Gaya notably mentioned that he was not present in the room when the final decision was reached, though he pledged to work for the party’s success.
Political analysts view Gaya’s loss of the ticket as a symbolic shift in Kano South’s political dynamics. Having previously defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before finally landing in the NDC alongside Kwankwaso, Gaya’s inability to secure the ticket suggests a paradigm shift toward newer faces within the opposition fold.
Gaya’s political journey has been under intense scrutiny since his 2023 defeat at the hands of Kawu Sumaila, who ran under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). In a twist of political fortunes, Sumaila—the incumbent Senator for Kano South—has since defected to the APC, where he is widely expected to seek re-election in 2027.
The NDC in Kano is currently concluding its primary elections for various legislative positions. The party leadership has emphasized that the adoption of consensus candidates in certain districts is a strategy to prevent internal friction and present a formidable challenge to the ruling APC.
As the 2027 countdown begins, the emergence of Kassim Batayya as the NDC’s choice sets the stage for a titanic battle in Kano South, a district traditionally known for its high-octane political contests and unpredictable voter behavior.
