Kano State is on edge as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf prepares to formally defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, a development that has fractured the powerful Kwankwasiyya political movement and triggered fresh realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources confirmed that Yusuf, the only NNPP governor in the country, is already in Abuja to finalise arrangements for the defection, which is expected to be hosted by Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The event is expected to draw top party leaders and signal a major boost for the ruling party in the North-West.
Ganduje, a former governor of Kano and a key APC power broker, was reportedly recalled from a private trip abroad to oversee the process. Similarly, APC Kano State Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, was said to have cut short his lesser hajj to facilitate the formal issuance of the governor’s APC membership card at his Diso Ward in Gwale Local Government Area.
Party insiders said Yusuf would also meet with Ganduje and other APC leaders to harmonise interests and map out a strategy for consolidating the party’s hold on Kano, a state that swung massively in favour of the NNPP in the 2023 elections under the influence of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Behind the scenes, however, the defection was not without controversy. President Bola Tinubu was initially said to be reluctant to accept Yusuf into the APC without Kwankwaso, whose grassroots appeal and loyal following remain potent political assets in Kano and parts of the North-West.
“The President believed that Kwankwaso’s involvement would give the move greater political weight,” a source disclosed. “But after repeated efforts to persuade him failed, Governor Hope Uzodinma intervened and convinced the President that Yusuf’s defection alone was still a significant gain.”
In anticipation of internal resistance, Yusuf reportedly directed local government caucuses across the state to openly align with him and publicly call on him to lead them into the APC, a move seen as an attempt to consolidate support and blunt opposition within the NNPP structure.
The governor’s decision has nonetheless provoked backlash within the Kwankwasiyya camp. Loyalists of Kwankwaso have accused Yusuf of betrayal, insisting that their allegiance remains with the former governor rather than the current occupant of the Government House. The fallout has effectively split the movement that once swept the NNPP to power in Kano.
Amid the tension, Kwankwaso is now exploring alternative political options. THISDAY gathered that the former governor and NNPP presidential candidate is weighing the possibility of joining forces with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Sources said quiet negotiations are ongoing, with the prospect that significant segments of the Kwankwasiyya movement could migrate to the ADC, allowing Kwankwaso to retain national relevance even as Yusuf and most Kano NNPP lawmakers drift toward the APC.
If realised, such an alliance could reshape opposition politics ahead of 2027. Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso finished second, third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential election, collectively commanding millions of votes. Analysts believe a united front could pose a serious challenge to the APC’s expanding dominance.
The ruling party, however, continues to strengthen its grip. With Yusuf’s impending defection, the APC’s tally of governors is set to rise further, following the recent defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mutfwang, who formally joined the APC in Jos, said his decision was driven by the need to unite Plateau State and enhance its voice at the national level. He pledged loyalty to President Bola Tinubu and expressed optimism that the state could deliver massive support for the APC in 2027.
The PDP has condemned Mutfwang’s move as a betrayal of the electorate, but party leaders have also acknowledged the need for opposition unity. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the party’s immediate focus was resolving internal legal disputes, adding that broader alliances would be discussed later.
Within the ADC, confidence is rising. Party chieftain, Dr Ladan Salihu, recently described Peter Obi’s defection as a “political blockbuster,” insisting it has positioned the ADC as a formidable challenger to the APC and dismissed claims of internal divisions.
As Yusuf’s defection draws closer, Kano has become the epicentre of Nigeria’s shifting political landscape, with the governor’s move deepening the APC’s advantage while forcing the opposition into urgent recalibration ahead of the 2027 elections.
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