Kano State witnessed a major political shake-up as Governor Abba Yusuf formally defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The announcement was made on Monday at the historic Coronation Hall inside the Kano Government House, where top APC leaders gathered to welcome him. Yusuf said his decision was guided by the need to put Kano first and accelerate development across the state.
The governor explained that his exit from the NNPP followed deep internal crises and unresolved leadership battles within the party. According to him, such instability was distracting from governance and slowing down progress for the people. He stressed that his priority remains delivering real dividends of democracy to Kano residents without political distractions.
The event had the presence of powerful APC figures, including former national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, and Senator Kawu Sumaila. Members of the Kano State Executive Council, party stakeholders, and several government officials were also in attendance, signaling that the move had strong backing within political circles.
Yusuf’s defection did not happen in isolation. Just hours before his announcement, 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly also moved from the NNPP to the APC. This coordinated shift shows that the political structure around the governor is aligning with his new party, further strengthening the APC’s foothold in the state.
Speaking at the event, Ganduje described the governor’s entry into the APC as a welcome development and revealed that the party had already made internal arrangements ahead of 2027. He disclosed that the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election, his running mate, and other aspirants had agreed to step down to support Yusuf in the next election cycle.
Ganduje expressed confidence that Yusuf would not only contest in 2027 but also win convincingly under the APC platform. He added that, by party tradition, any sitting governor who joins the APC automatically becomes the party leader in the state. This means Yusuf immediately assumes a powerful leadership position within the Kano APC structure.
According to Ganduje, the APC in Kano is united and free of internal crises, with elders and stakeholders working together. He assured the governor of the party’s full support and prayed for his success, emphasizing that the party respects unity, structure, and loyalty among its members.
With this development, Kano’s political landscape has changed dramatically, setting the stage for intense political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections.
