BARAU–BICHI POLITICAL TENSION: A TEST FOR APC UNITY IN KANO.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kud
Northern Bureau Chief
October 4, 2026.
KANO — Political differences involving two prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) figures from Kano North, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, and House of Representatives member, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, have continued to attract political attention as the state moves towards the 2027 general elections.
Both politicians occupy influential positions at the National Assembly. Barau represents Kano North in the Senate, while Bichi represents Bichi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the House Committee on Appropriations. Their political influence has made any disagreement involving their supporters a matter of wider concern within the Kano APC.
However, there is currently no clear public statement from either Barau or Bichi confirming a personal political confrontation between them. Much of the controversy has emerged through statements, reactions and activities attributed to their respective supporters. It is therefore important to distinguish verified developments from political interpretations and allegations.
The situation appears to revolve largely around political influence, leadership structures and the organisation of APC politics in Kano North ahead of 2027.
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The tension is developing against the background of a major political realignment in Kano. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf formally joined the APC in January 2026 alongside a large number of state and federal lawmakers. At the event, Barau and former APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, were among the prominent party leaders who welcomed the governor.
The governor’s movement into the APC has fundamentally changed the political configuration of the state. It has brought together political actors who previously operated on different sides of Kano’s political divide.
This new arrangement requires careful management because Kano APC now contains several influential political blocs and personalities with different histories, interests and political structures.
Against this background, the Barau–Bichi tension should not automatically be interpreted as a complete breakdown of APC unity. Rather, it is better understood as part of the wider competition for political influence within the party.
Barau’s Call for APC Unity
An important development is that Barau has publicly emphasised unity within the APC.
In September 2026, he inaugurated a Kano North APC Campaign Council and directed its members to mobilise support for all APC candidates from the presidential level to the State House of Assembly. The council is chaired by Engr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, not Abubakar Kabir Bichi.
The council covers the 13 local government areas of Kano North and was described as an inclusive structure intended to bring different party stakeholders together.
Barau also urged party members who contested the primaries but did not secure tickets to put the primary contests behind them and work together for the party.
This development is significant because it demonstrates that, despite reports of disagreements among political supporters, there remains an institutional effort to keep the different interests within the APC campaign structure.
The principal danger is not necessarily disagreement between two politicians. Political competition is normal in a democracy.
The greater concern would arise if disagreements between political leaders became a permanent division between their supporters.
If Barau and Bichi supporters begin operating as two rival political camps, the consequences could extend from the senatorial district to wards, local governments and grassroots party structures.
Political disagreements could then become personal attacks, accusations of disloyalty and claims of anti-party activities. Such developments could distract the party from its campaign objectives and weaken internal cohesion.
Recent reports of defections and political realignments in Kano North have already added to concerns about the strength and cohesion of grassroots structures. These developments should, however, be treated as political developments rather than definitive evidence of the future electoral strength of any particular politician.
The Role of Governor Abba Yusuf
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has reasons to avoid becoming publicly identified with one side of an internal APC dispute.
His entry into the APC was accompanied by an appeal for political cooperation rather than polarisation. At the January 2026 defection ceremony, he said political parties should be vehicles for delivering positive change to the people of Kano.
The governor has also previously participated in efforts to resolve political disagreements within Kano APC. In May 2026, he was reported to have played a role in negotiations that led Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo to withdraw from the Kano North senatorial contest and support Barau.
Against this background, maintaining a measured public position on the Barau–Bichi disagreement could be interpreted as an attempt to avoid deepening divisions within the party.
Ganduje’s Position.
Former Kano Governor and former APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is also in a delicate position.
Ganduje has a long political relationship with several of the principal actors in Kano APC, while the political realignment following Governor Yusuf’s defection has created a new configuration that requires accommodation among former political rivals and current party allies.
Rather than treating Ganduje’s relative silence as proof of support for either side, it is more appropriate to see his position within the broader context of managing relationships among competing political interests.
The increasingly strong statements attributed to some supporters of both Barau and Bichi have introduced another dimension to the dispute.
Statements reportedly made by political actors, including Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo and other supporters, have generated debate about whether influential political figures should take sides openly or encourage reconciliation.
Such statements carry particular weight when they are attributed to serving public officials. A statement by a deputy governor, for example, can easily be interpreted as representing a broader government position, even when it may have been intended as a personal political expression.
Similarly, allegations of “anti-party” activities should not be presented as established facts unless supported by evidence or an official party decision.
Political leaders must therefore exercise restraint. Once supporters begin responding to every statement made by the opposing camp, a disagreement between two political figures can quickly develop into a broader conflict involving thousands of party members.
The immediate priority should be to prevent political competition from becoming permanent factionalism.
Barau and Bichi have the opportunity to address their differences directly rather than allowing supporters to speak on their behalf. The Kano APC leadership can also provide a structured platform for dialogue and reconciliation.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Ganduje and other senior party leaders can contribute by encouraging communication among the various political blocs without appearing to take sides.
Most importantly, APC members should focus on issues that affect the people of Kano—governance, development, representation, employment, education, security and economic opportunities—rather than allowing internal political disagreements to dominate the party’s agenda.
The Barau–Bichi issue is currently better understood as an emerging contest over political influence and organisation within Kano North rather than proof of a complete collapse of APC unity.
There are, at the same time, signs of political tension and grassroots realignment, as well as clear efforts to build an inclusive APC campaign structure. Barau’s establishment of a Kano North campaign council, chaired by Engr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, and his instruction that the structure work for all APC candidates demonstrate that the party still has mechanisms for cooperation.
The real test for APC Kano will therefore be whether political differences can remain within the boundaries of democratic competition or develop into rival factions.
For Kano APC, the message is simple: political competition is inevitable, but internal division is a choice. Dialogue, restraint and respect for party structures may determine whether today’s disagreements become tomorrow’s political crisis—or an opportunity to strengthen the party’s internal democracy.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 4th, 2026
