Multiple high-level sources within the Kano State Government have confirmed that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's planned defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is now an irreversible process. This major political realignment is set to occur despite strong resistance from the NNPP's national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Defection Plan Gains Momentum with Key Structures
According to insiders at the Government House in Kano, Governor Yusuf's decision has moved beyond mere speculation and internal discussions. The governor is expected to defect alongside a significant portion of the state's political machinery. This includes nine out of Kano's thirteen members of the House of Representatives, twenty of the twenty-seven members of the Kano State House of Assembly, and forty-two of the forty-four local government chairmen across the state.
The Speaker of the State Assembly and all principal officers are also part of the planned move. A highly placed source emphasized that the process "can no longer be reversed" as consultations have concluded and the governor is proceeding with the majority of the political structure.
Kwankwaso's Opposition and Conditions for Alliance
Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the founder of the Kwankwasiyya movement and a former governor of Kano, has publicly opposed Governor Yusuf's defection. Kwankwaso has insisted that the mandate from the 2023 governorship election belongs to the NNPP as a party, not to an individual. He has warned that Governor Yusuf must vacate his office if he leaves the party that sponsored his election.
However, sources reveal that Kwankwaso's refusal to align with the APC stems from his own political conditions. He has reiterated that any political alliance he considers must guarantee him either the presidential or vice-presidential ticket in future elections, a condition the APC has reportedly not met.
Internal NNPP Crisis and Legal Tussle
The defection plan unfolds amidst a deep internal crisis within the NNPP in Kano State. Governor Yusuf is said to have effectively taken control of the party's structure in the state following the suspension of the former state chairman, Hashim Dungurawa. This suspension was later upheld by the Kano State High Court.
This court ruling has created a complex legal situation, as the NNPP's National Working Committee's subsequent dissolution of the state executive committees is viewed by insiders as a violation of an existing court order. This legal backdrop has strengthened Governor Yusuf's position and complicated the national party's ability to counter his moves.
Political Survival, Not Betrayal
Political observers within Kano have interpreted Governor Yusuf's planned crossover not as an act of betrayal against his mentor, Kwankwaso, but as a strategic move for political survival. The defection is widely seen as an effort to align with the federal government led by the APC, a move expected to ensure greater political stability and unlock more developmental opportunities for Kano State.
Efforts to get an official comment from the governor's spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, have been unsuccessful, as he has largely avoided media engagements since the political crisis escalated. The stage is now set for a significant reshaping of Nigeria's political map, with the NNPP poised to lose its only governorship seat.
