Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former presidential candidate and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has vowed that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his associates will eventually regret leaving the party, describing the governor’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political misstep.
Kwankwaso said the decision by Governor Yusuf to abandon the NNPP came as a shock, leaving many, including himself, struggling to process the move. “Many people I spoke to felt it was some kind of arrangement – between him and me, or between him and others. Even I often find it hard to believe that things are unfolding the way they are,” he said.
Governor Yusuf officially resigned from the NNPP on Friday, January 23, 2026, and joined the APC on Monday, January 26, less than three years after winning the Kano governorship under the NNPP banner. Speaking at his defection event, Yusuf explained that the move was guided by his assessment of Nigerian politics and the desire to pursue a path he believes would deliver development for Kano.
However, Kwankwaso, in his first media interview since Yusuf’s defection, told the BBC that he was deeply disappointed that the governor “handed over the mandate of NNPP members and the people of Kano to the Gandujiyya political camp” without a compelling justification.
“When I lie down, I reflect and ask myself: what really happened? Who was at fault? Was it me? Was it the party? Were party members at fault? But I have not been able to find an answer,” Kwankwaso said.
The NNPP leader dismissed claims that internal crises motivated Yusuf’s defection, insisting that no political party is completely free of grievances. “I can assure you, to the best of my knowledge, there is no party more peaceful and stable than the NNPP,” he said.
Kwankwaso also criticised those who left the NNPP but still claim allegiance to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, saying the choice between light and darkness in Kano had already been defined. “If you want to practice Kwankwasiyya, who asked you to leave Kwankwasiyya? Stay where Kwankwasiyya is and practice it there,” he said.
Reflecting on the manner in which former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje welcomed Yusuf into the APC, Kwankwaso said, “The moment Ganduje raised his hand, the election was already lost.” He added, “If Ganduje truly had the power to raise someone’s hand to victory, he would have done so in 2019. If he had that power, he would have done so in 2023.”
Kwankwaso predicted that Yusuf and his associates would face significant political challenges within the APC, saying, “Even if he does not return, he will regret it.”
On the future of Kwankwasiyya, Kwankwaso reaffirmed that Kano remains the movement’s stronghold and that efforts to build alliances and safeguard its influence are already underway.
Kwankwaso remains a major political force in northern Nigeria, particularly among young voters, and his movement, whose followers are recognisable by their red caps, has maintained a loyal mass following since his tenure as governor. His political journey with Ganduje has been marked by rivalry, with Kwankwaso first supporting Ganduje as his deputy, later opposing him in the 2019 governorship election, and subsequently backing Abba Kabir Yusuf to the governorship.