Following Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, and Labour Party have harshly criticised the All Progressives Congress, stating that the development will not change the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In separate interviews, PDP National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong and his ADC counterpart Bolaji Abdullahi responded to the governor’s decision to join the APC on Monday. They emphasised that actions motivated by self-interest would not result in votes for the ruling party and that the defection reflects moral failure rather than political strength.
Additionally, Senator Nenadi Usman, the faction’s interim national chairman, emphasised that opposition parties will continue to play a major role ahead of the 2018 elections and cautioned against equating elite defections with broad public support.
Abba Yusuf was welcomed into the party by APC Director of Publicity Bala Ibrahim, who described the defection as a boost for the party and a confirmation of its dedication to providing Nigerians with the benefits of democracy.
Following weeks of rumours and growing political unrest in the state, Governor Yusuf announced his resignation from the NNPP on Friday, despite the backing of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
In response to the governor Abba Yusuf’s defection, President Bola Tinubu and other APC officials have repeatedly denied allegations that the party wants to create a one-party state, insisting that the APC is still inclusive and accessible to all Nigerians.
In a statement released on Friday, NNPP National Publicity Secretary Oladipo Johnson discussed Abba Yusuf’s resignation, calling it a betrayal of the Kano electorate and a setback for the governor’s former Kwankwasiyya Movement.
He continued by saying that history demonstrates that people who compromise integrity for deceit and loyalty for convenience seldom avoid being judged by the public.
Read Also: Kano State Governor Yusuf Dumps NNPP Over ‘Persistent Internal Disputes’
NNPP stated, “We deeply regret that Governor Abba, a man entrusted by the people of Kano State on the strength of his decades of unwavering loyalty and dedicated service to the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has now chosen to betray that sacred trust. By this action, he risks returning the state to the very forces that have long opposed its progress and the aspirations of its people.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, revealed in a statement issued on Sunday that Yusuf is set to formally join the APC today, despite opposition from the NNPP, signifying a significant change in Kano State’s political environment.
Governor Abba Yusuf first joined the APC in 2014 to run in the party’s primary for the Kano Central Senatorial seat, but he lost to Kwankwaso, according to the statement.
Currently, Governor Abba Yusuf is set to officially register as a member of the APC in Kano, alongside 22 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen.
Additionally, he is anticipated to launch the state’s APC e-registration campaign.
Speaking on the significance of the registration exercise, Yusuf stated, “This is not just a political move; it is a step to ensure that governance remains people-centred and that our developmental agenda reaches every corner of Kano State.”
In a similar development, former Kano State Governor and ex-APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, who is currently abroad, is expected to return today.
A former Chief of Staff to Ganduje, Mohammed Garba, revealed on Sunday that he had travelled to London but would be back in Nigeria on Monday.
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