Kano State is on the brink of a significant political realignment as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's anticipated move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) threatens to tear apart the influential Kwankwasiyya movement. The planned defection, aimed at securing the governor's second-term ambition, is set to cause a major fallout with his political mentor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
A Decision Forged in Consultation
According to reliable information gathered on Sunday, December 29, 2025, Governor Yusuf is finalizing plans to leave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the APC. The governor's decision follows extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in Kano. These discussions included members of the State House of Assembly, local government chairmen, and several federal lawmakers representing the state.
A source close to the developments confirmed that barring any last-minute change of heart, the defection will proceed. The move is widely seen as a strategic calculation to align with the national ruling party and bolster Yusuf's chances of re-election, a prospect that appears challenging within the NNPP's current structure.
Party Leadership Cries Betrayal
The NNPP leadership in Kano has reacted with dismay, framing the governor's intended action as a profound betrayal. The state party chairman, Honourable Hashim Dungurawa, explicitly stated that Senator Kwankwaso is not part of the decision to join the APC.
Dungurawa issued a stern warning, describing the defection as a gross betrayal of trust. He urged all party leaders to resist any move to endorse or sign documents facilitating a switch from the NNPP to the APC. "I want to make it clear that Kwankwaso and other leaders do not approve of the defection of the governor to the APC," Dungurawa said.
He revealed that party elders had urged patience and asked the governor not to abandon the NNPP, but their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Dungurawa also dismissed rumours of a deliberate plot to pitch Kwankwaso against Governor Yusuf, insisting that the party leadership has never engaged in such tactics.
Local Government Caucuses Mobilize for Defection
Despite the party's official position, strong loyalists of Governor Yusuf have begun mobilizing support for his crossover to the APC. During engagements across their constituencies on Sunday, key aides and allies publicly declared their readiness to follow the governor.
In Rogo Local Government Area, the Director of Protocol, Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, announced full support for the move. Addressing party loyalists, Rogo declared that local leaders, including the Speaker Jibrin Ismail Falgore, the council chairman, and caucus leaders, had resolved to follow Governor Yusuf and Senator Kwankwaso to the APC.
Rogo argued that the resolution was in the best interest of the people, the country, and even Kwankwaso's presidential ambition. "We believe his presidential ambition can be realised in the APC if we join now. This is our stand," he stated. He emphasized that while they remain lifelong members of the Kwankwasiyya movement and are currently in the NNPP, they are calling on their leaders to guide them into the APC as the present solution.
A similar stance was echoed in Dawakin Tofa Local Government. The LGA Chairman, Anas Danmaliki, told an NNPP caucus meeting that the Kwankwasiyya movement has split into pro-masses and anti-masses factions, and he and all his councillors stand firmly with Governor Yusuf.
Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the Director-General of Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House, who hails from the area, immediately endorsed this position. He stated, "I, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, as one of the caucus of the party in the LGA, I'm with whatever Danmaliki said 1,000 per cent."
Implications for Kano and National Politics
The impending defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf marks a pivotal moment in Kano's volatile political landscape. It represents a dramatic shift from the 2023 elections when the Kwankwasiyya movement, under the NNPP banner, successfully wrestled control of the state from the APC.
This move could significantly alter the balance of power in Nigeria's most populous state and have ripple effects on national politics, particularly concerning the future political trajectory of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. The open division within the movement's top echelon signals a period of intense realignment and potential instability in Kano politics as the battle for the soul of Kwankwasiyya intensifies.
