Abdulaziz Umar Ganduje, the eldest son of former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has formally entered the race for the House of Representatives under the platform of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Abdulaziz secured the party’s nomination form on Saturday to contest for the Dawakin Tofa/Tofa/Rimin Gado Federal Constituency seat in Kano State ahead of the next general election.
His move has stirred fresh political conversations in Kano, especially because of his long-standing association with the Kwankwasiyya political movement led by former Kano governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Despite his father’s prominence in the APC over the years, Abdulaziz has remained politically aligned with Kwankwaso’s camp.
Political observers in Kano say the development further exposes the widening divide between both political blocs, whose relationship collapsed years after they worked together in the state.
Shortly after obtaining the nomination form, a video surfaced online showing Abdulaziz in a meeting with Kwankwaso. During the discussion, he was said to have briefed the former governor on his ambition and preparations for the contest.
The video quickly generated reactions across political circles in Kano, with many describing the development as another major twist in the rivalry between the Ganduje and Kwankwaso camps.
Abdulaziz’s political leaning has not been hidden in recent years. Unlike some members of the Ganduje family who remained active in the APC structure, he openly identified with the Kwankwasiyya movement and maintained close ties with its loyalists.
His political activities became more controversial after a public disagreement involving his mother, Professor Hafsat Umar Ganduje. The dispute drew national attention after reports emerged that he had submitted a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged failed agreement.
Abdulaziz is seeking the same House of Representatives seat contested by his brother, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, under the APC in 2023. Despite the influence of their father, who was Kano governor at the time, the APC lost the constituency to the candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).