Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has declared that his longtime rival, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will only be welcomed back to the ruling party under one condition — strict adherence to the APC constitution.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa, Ganduje said the APC does not grant special privileges to returnees, stressing that politicians who once abandoned the party must face the consequences of their earlier decisions.

Reports had circulated suggesting that Kwankwaso was in talks with APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, about a possible defection back to the party. However, the former Kano governor quickly dismissed the claims as “baseless.”

Reacting to the speculation, Ganduje mocked the idea of Kwankwaso rejoining APC, likening it to “licking his vomit.”According to him, Kwankwaso would have to acknowledge his past missteps before seeking a fresh start in the party.

On the state of APC in Kano, Ganduje revealed that the party had resolved its internal divisions following a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja. The meeting, he noted, also reviewed APC’s performance in the 2023 elections and commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.

Dismissing rumours of a rift with the president, Ganduje stressed that his relationship with Tinubu remains strong and assured that Kano APC members are fully committed to reclaiming the state in the 2027 elections.