In a major political realignment, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is finalizing plans to defect from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), according to statements from key aides and multiple sources close to the administration.
The governor’s Director of Protocol, Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, publicly declared the move in a viral video on Sunday, stating that stakeholders in his Rogo Local Government Area had resolved to follow Yusuf to the APC.
Rogo called on the governor’s political mentor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to also lead the Kwankwasiyya movement into the ruling party, suggesting it would bolster Kwankwaso’s national ambitions. “We believe his presidential ambition can be realized in APC if we join now,” Rogo stated.
The sentiment was echoed by the Governor’s Director-General of Media and Publicity, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, who backed his local government caucus’s resolution to follow Yusuf “1000 percent.”
The public endorsement from top aides signals an organised push within the governor’s camp to formalize the crossover, which sources say could be announced as early as the first week of January.
The planned defection threatens to fracture the Kwankwasiyya movement and leave the NNPP without its only elected governor. Senator Kwankwaso, who is leader of the NNPP and controls the political bloc, was reported to have acknowledged the governor’s decision during a meeting with state lawmakers last Friday.
He reportedly told assembly members that anyone wishing to follow Yusuf was free to do so, though he expressed reluctance, rhetorically asking, “Will the God that gave us power in 2023 not be around in 2027?”
Despite this, Governor Yusuf has informed lawmakers that his decision is “irreversible,” according to insiders.
The move appears to be a strategic calculation to align with the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections, potentially seeking stronger political leverage and access to federal resources for Kano State.
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