Kano APC Warns Minister Yusuf Ata Over Fueling Party Discord
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu — Democracy Newsline Newspaper
22 November 2025
The internal temperature within the Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rose sharply this week as the party issued a stern warning to one of its most prominent federal appointees, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, the State Minister at the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
In a strongly worded letter dated November 21, 2025, and signed by Hon. Abdullahi Abbas, the Kano State APC Chairman, the party accused the minister of making public statements that could “provoke misunderstandings and disunity among members.”
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The letter, which was widely circulated within political circles before leaking to the media late Friday evening, was also copied to major power centers:
1. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
2. APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda,
3. Kano State Party Leader Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, and
4. The APC North West Zonal Vice Chairman.
The warning comes at a time when the Kano APC is struggling to consolidate its ranks after a turbulent election cycle and a dramatic series of legal battles over the governorship. With competing factions quietly maneuvering ahead of the 2027 general elections, the party leadership has been working to project an image of unity and discipline.
Sources inside the party say Ata’s recent public remarks — widely interpreted as taking sides in emerging internal alignments — rattled the state leadership, which fears open commentary from federal appointees could embolden rival factions or cause renewed rifts.
“You are not assigned a public relations role within the party,” the letter reminded Ata, emphasizing that “such public comments may be wrongly interpreted as official party positions.”
The APC leadership underscored that internal affairs are the preserve of designated spokespersons and leadership organs. Though acknowledging that Ata, like any member, has the right to support his preferred aspirant, the letter stressed that “by virtue of your position as Hon. Minister and member of the Federal Executive Council, you are expected to engage on issues that will facilitate the unity of all party members.”
This statement reflects a broader anxiety within the APC that public disagreements by high-ranking officeholders could undermine the party’s reconciliation efforts after two years of factional tensions.
In a more direct rebuke, the letter accused the minister of having “the habit of making uncomplimentary and derogatory public pronouncements,” a charge that indicates the party leadership views his behavior as more than an isolated slip.
The warning concluded with a clear caution: unless Ata restrains himself, the party may be forced to consider “further disciplinary action.” Such a step would be rare but not unprecedented within the APC, which has previously sanctioned or suspended high-profile members for breaching internal protocols.
Political analysts in Kano say the development signals simmering struggles over influence, especially regarding the control of the party machinery as 2027 approaches. One analyst noted that Ata, a former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, “remains influential and commands respect among certain grassroots blocs,” making his public statements sensitive within the current power configuration.
Although Ata has yet to publicly respond to the warning, insiders suggest he may seek clarification from national party headquarters before making further comments.
For now, the situation underscores the fragile equilibrium within the Kano APC — a party trying to heal, reorganize, and prepare for future political contests while minimizing public friction. How Hon. Yusuf Ata reacts in the coming days may determine whether the issue subsides quietly or escalates into a more visible intra-party dispute.
