By Henry Ikenna

After the 2023 general elections, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, was locked in sober reflection about the fate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kano State, a state reputed for its high population and formidable voting strength. 

He discovered that for another electoral defeat to be averted, the party needed to put his house in order and embarked on membership drive on a grand scale. 

Barau swung into action. He started wooing many notable New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) chieftains at the grassroots. He expanded the scope of his empowerment programmes. He also sentitised the people to the need to suport the Tinubu administration so that more dividends of democracy would be attracted to the state. 

Barau, described as the people’s General by the National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has galvanised the chapter and offered hope.

His efforts paid off. Many opposition members started defecting to the party, holding on to the promise to guarantee effective harmonisation and sense of belonging. In a short time, the growing influence of the Deputy Senate President put the NNPP and the Kwankwsiyya Movement on edge. ahead of 2027 elections.

Despite the influence of the NNPP as the ruling party in the commercial centre, Barau has refused to be intimidated. Although NNPP won the governorship and presidential elections, fought a good fight in Kano North, winningvhis senatorial seat and delivering the district to the president.

Due to its defeat, APC was boxed into the opposition. Undettered by the blow of fate, Barau decided to stay in the gap. Since then, he has been the leading figure in maintaining the APC machineries.

Apart from keeping the party’s soul together with the support of the National Chairman, the state chairman, and other leaders, Barau has succeeded in wooing thousands of NNPP and Kwankwsiyya Movement top figures to the APC, to the surprise of their leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

To observers, the foundation laid by the Deputy Senate President paved the way for the defection of Senator Kawu Sumaila, Representatives Kabiru Rurum (Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure) and Abdullahi Sani Rogo (Karaye/Rogo), and former Secretary to Kano State Government, Dr Baffa Bichi.

Others defectors are former House of Representatives members Badamasi Ayuba (Danbatta/Makoda) and Sha’aban Sharada (Kano Municipal); former state lawmaker Zubairu Hamza Masu; and two former commissioners in the NNPPgovernment, Muhammad Diggol and Abbas Sani Abbas.

According to analysts, if Barau has not made his strategic interventions, Kano APC’s chance of survival   would have remaiined slim slin the state it governed for eight years.

Since he became the number five citizen, the Deputy Senate President has expanded his intervention programmes to the 44 local government areas. The 70 beneficiaries of his foreign scholarship scheme are from the three senatorial districts. Another 300 graduates were recently selected from the three senatorial zones for domestic postgraduate scholarships.

Lauding the initiatives, Abbas said they have rescued the Kano APC and put the NNPP on the edge.

Speaking during the distribution of   61 cars and 1,137 motorcycles to APC leaders across the councils, the state chairman highlighted Barau’s role in sustaining the party since it was displaced by the NNPP. 

“Barau is the senator for all in Kano State. He represents Kano North, but he is for the people of Kano Central, Kano South and everybody. Let me tell you that today, this man is the one sponsoring the party ever since we lost the election in Kano,” he said.

Barau facilitated the defection of the Coalition of Atiku Support Groups in the 19 Northern States during the 2023 general election. The feat earned commendation from Ganduje, who thanked him for encouraging people from other political parties to join APC.

“We have seen that Senator Barau is going beyond Kano. He is liberating those people, especially those who are committed to democracy. He is convincing them to join our party, not only from Kano State, but also in the northern part of this country, and the whole country. So, the distinguished Senator Barau is a real general. We assure you, Allah will order your steps,” he said.

An APC chieftain, Abdulmajid Danbilki, said   Barau has succeeded in taming the NNPP in Kano, adding that it explains why its leaders’ quest to switch camps to the APC.

“Senator Barau is the only politician from the North capable of challenging Kwankwaso and the NNPP. He has consistently confronted them through various interventions and policies.

Danbilki described Barau as a man of high political rating, saying: “IIf anyone picks a candidate for the Kano governorship seat in 2027 other than Barau, we will not win.”

  “No one can deliver Kano like Senator Barau. He is a grassroots politician who understands the intricacies of politics at all levels. The entire northern Nigeria is proud of him,” he added.