Radda, Masari Face-Off Puts Katsina APC Unity Under Spotlight

By Muhamman Bishr Darma

A fresh political tension within the All Progressives Congress in Katsina State has brought the relationship between Governor Dikko Umar Radda and Ibrahim Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Political Affairs, under renewed scrutiny as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.

THE NATIONAL LENS reports that the latest development followed the invitation of Governor Radda’s Aide-de-Camp, SP Abdulganiyu Bello, and Chief Security Officer, DSP Hassan Bello, to the Force Headquarters in Abuja over an alleged incident involving campaign billboards displaying the images of President Tinubu and Masari in Katsina.

The billboards, reportedly erected along the Modoji Junction to Katsina Government House Road, allegedly suffered damage, prompting a police investigation. The police have, however, rejected reports that the two security officers were arrested, explaining that they were invited for questioning.

Our correspondent gathered that beyond the immediate billboard controversy, the development has exposed what appears to be a deeper political fault line within the Katsina APC, with competing interests emerging between politicians closely aligned with the state government and Katsina figures holding influential positions in Abuja.

Masari is regarded as an influential figure within the APC at the federal level because of his proximity to President Tinubu, while Governor Radda remains the dominant political figure within the Katsina State government structure.

The tension has become more noticeable as the 2027 political calculations intensify. Radda and some of his allies were reportedly absent from the recently released list of members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, a development that has fuelled speculation about competing political interests in the state.

There are, however, conflicting interpretations of the situation. Officials close to Governor Radda have dismissed suggestions of a serious breakdown between the governor and the presidency, insisting that Radda remains committed to President Tinubu and the APC's 2027 campaign.

The governor's Director General of Media, Maiwada Danmalam, has also urged caution in reporting the matter, while the governor's Special Adviser on Political Matters, Ya'u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo, described the developments as part of the political manoeuvring that often accompanies preparations for elections.

The latest episode nevertheless raises questions about how the APC will manage competing interests in Katsina as the 2027 election approaches. Katsina remains politically important to the ruling party, making unity among its major actors crucial to its efforts to maintain its grip on the state and deliver strong support for the Tinubu administration.

For now, neither side has formally declared an open political confrontation. But the increasing visibility of disagreements involving influential figures on both sides suggests that the political calculations surrounding Katsina APC are becoming more intense.

With 2027 drawing closer, how the party manages these differences could prove just as important as its campaign strategy. What currently appears to be a disagreement between political camps could either be resolved through negotiation or develop into a wider contest for influence within one of the APC's strategically important states.