Governor Yusuf’s proposed defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has become one of the most debated political developments in Kano, amid growing uncertainty over the move.
Reports indicate that the defection, initially scheduled for the first week of January 2026, was first shifted to January 12, 2026.
However, the much-anticipated switch was again delayed as governor Yusuf intensified consultations with National Assembly members, state lawmakers, and influential figures within the APC, amid cautionary signals from his political mentor and NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The delay, however, has been ascribed to the split in NNPP and the governor’s tough demand from his prospective new party.
Governor Yusuf’s tough demand
An insider source familiar with the unfolding political occurrences in Kano State told that governor Yusuf has insisted on an automatic ticket for the 2027 election as a condition to join the ruling party.
According to the source, the top leadership of the ruling party has been unable to grant the request, placing it on hold waiting for President Bola Tinubu’s return from his foreign trip.
“The governor does not want to blindly join the APC and then later have people like the former national chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje coming up with their own anointed candidate.
“You know that immediately he joins the party, he will stop enjoying the support he gets from His Excellency Rabiu Kwankwaso so if he doesn’t have the support of people like Ganduje or Kwankwaso, 2027 is going to be very tough for him.
“But if Kwankwaso had agreed to also follow the governor to APC, the whole thing would have been easier for the governor but Kwankwaso himself is not ready to move to APC, at least not yet.
“Now that Mr President is back to Nigeria, things will become clearer in the coming days, hopefully, the governor’s request will be granted but mind you, he is not the only governor seeking re-election”, he said.
Split in NNPP
Prior to the governor Yusuf’s move to dump the perceived fastest-growing political platforms in the country, there has been a cold war among leadership of the party.
According to reports, the internal wrangling birthed the decision of the governor to shift his alliance to the ruling party.
The crisis reportedly began with a contentious change of the party’s logo, as the Kwankwaso-led faction replaced the basket of fruits with a book and graduation cap.
But governor Yusuf’s camp insisted that the previous logo must be maintained.
The development, It was gathered, sparked legal battles that have since thrown the party into uncertainty, deepening internal fragmentation.
While governor Yusuf has the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon Jibril Ismail Falgore, some Local Government Chairmen in his camp, the deputy governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo and some members of the state cabinet remain loyal to Kwankwaso.
Remain in our party, no clear road in APC – NNPP former Chairman
In an exclusive interview on Sunday, the immediate past Chairman of NNPP in Kano State, Hashimu Dungurawa urged the governor to shelve his planned defection.
Dungurawa pointed out that while Governor Yusuf’s re-election under NNPP is sure, the road is not clear for him if he defects to APC.
He said, “It is still my prayer that the governor doesn’t leave our party because leaving the party will cause a lot of vacuum that will be difficult to fill.
“Staying with NNPP will help him because where he is going is a camp of his enemies.
“We are here supporting him in the NNPP, nobody is fighting him and there is nobody that is not wishing him well.
“If he remains in our party, he will automatically return as governor for his second term. There is no clear road in where he is going so the best thing for him is to remain with us.
“Definitely, we will all work for his victory in 2027 if he remains in our party. I don’t see any reason why he should be jumping to another when he is comfortable where he is.
“In 2027, NNPP is going to defeat the so-called APC and PDP in Kano State”.
Governor Yusuf under pressure to remain in NNPP
There has been intense pressure from Kwankwaso’s supporters known as the Kwankwassiyya Movement, aiming to stop the governor’s alliance with APC.
This comes with the threat that the governor will be asked in 2027 if he ignores the warnings.
It was gathered that Hon Mustapha Kwankwaso, the first son of the NNPP leader and other Yusuf’s cabinet members loyal to Kwankwaso, will immediately quit their jobs when the governor officially joins APC.
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