…KANO GOVERNOR DELAYS DEFECATION, CITES NEED FOR STRATEGIC TRANSITION
Abuja, Nigeria – Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has postponed his planned defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), initially scheduled for this month, to the second week of January 2026.
Sources close to the matter indicate that the delay follows a meeting between Governor Yusuf and Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima, who reportedly urged the governor to ensure a more strategic transition, allowing for the recruitment of other NNPP elected officials to join the APC.
The move is seen as a significant blow to the Kwankwasiyya movement, led by NNPP national leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Insiders suggest that the Tinubu administration has exerted considerable pressure on Governor Yusuf to abandon the Kwankwasiyya movement, offering him a second-term ticket in the APC and threatening investigations into alleged financial irregularities involving his cabinet members if he refuses.
The defection has sparked controversy within the NNPP, with Kwankwaso reportedly opposed to Governor Yusuf’s plans. The party has responded by dissolving its Kano State executive committee, heightening tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development underscores the complex dynamics of Nigerian politics, where party affiliations often shift in response to power and patronage. As Governor Yusuf prepares to make his move, questions linger about the future of the Kwankwasiyya movement and the implications for Kano State’s political landscape.
