Kano on the brink as Gov Kabir Yusuf dumps Kwankwaso for APC

Kano State, Nigeria’s most populous political battleground, is bracing for a seismic political shift as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf prepares to formally defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, in a move that has shattered his alliance with political godfather Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and deepened uncertainty within the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Multiple sources confirmed that Yusuf, the only NNPP governor in the country, has already arrived in Abuja to finalise arrangements for his defection. The ceremony is expected to be hosted by Vice President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, with other party heavyweights in attendance.

Ganduje, himself a former governor of Kano and a long-time rival of Kwankwaso, was reportedly recalled from a private trip to Dubai to take charge of the political choreography surrounding Yusuf’s entry into the APC. Similarly, the party’s Kano State chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, was said to have cut short his lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia to ensure the governor is promptly issued an APC membership card at his Diso Ward in Gwale Local Government Area.

Sources said Yusuf is also expected to meet privately with Ganduje within the week to harmonise interests, manage internal party tensions and map out a strategy for consolidating APC dominance in Kano, where the NNPP rode to power in 2023 on the back of the powerful Kwankwasiyya movement.

Behind the scenes, however, the move was neither smooth nor universally welcomed within the APC. According to insiders, President Bola Tinubu was initially hesitant to accept Yusuf’s defection without Kwankwaso, whose mass following in Kano and parts of the North-West remains a decisive political asset.

“The President felt that taking Yusuf alone, without Kwankwaso, could weaken the political value of the defection,” a source disclosed. “But after all efforts to persuade Kwankwaso failed, Governor Hope Uzodinma stepped in and convinced Mr President that bringing Yusuf into the APC was still a strategic win.”

In anticipation of resistance, Yusuf reportedly directed local government caucuses across Kano to openly declare loyalty to him and publicly urge him to lead them into the APC, a move seen as an attempt to consolidate control and blunt opposition from Kwankwasiyya loyalists.

Yet, the governor’s dramatic break with Kwankwaso, the man widely credited with sponsoring his political rise,  has triggered backlash within the Kwankwasiyya camp. Loyalists of the former governor have accused Yusuf of betrayal, insisting their allegiance remains firmly with Kwankwaso, not the office he currently occupies.

The fallout has left the NNPP effectively hollowed out in Kano, with Yusuf, most members of the State House of Assembly and key political structures drifting toward the APC, even as Kwankwaso searches for a new political home.

Amid the turbulence, it was  gathered that Kwankwaso is actively weighing the option of joining forces with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is fast emerging as the nucleus of a broad opposition coalition.

Sources said quiet but serious negotiations are ongoing, with the possibility that large segments of the Kwankwasiyya movement could migrate to the ADC, preserving Kwankwaso’s relevance on the national stage even as he loses control of Kano’s executive machinery.

If consummated, such an alliance could significantly alter Nigeria’s opposition landscape. In the 2023 presidential election, Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso finished second, third and fourth respectively, jointly commanding a substantial majority of opposition votes. Analysts say a united front could pose the most credible challenge yet to the APC’s growing dominance.

The ruling party, however, appears to be consolidating power with remarkable speed. With Yusuf’s defection, the APC’s control of states is expected to rise further, following the recent defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mutfwang, who formally joined the APC at a ceremony in Jos, described his decision as the product of “prayer, consultation and deep reflection,” framing it as a step toward healing Plateau’s long-standing political divisions and strengthening the state’s influence at the centre. He openly pledged loyalty to President Tinubu and expressed confidence that Plateau could deliver massive votes for the APC in 2027.

The PDP has condemned Mutfwang’s defection as a betrayal of the people’s mandate and an act of political opportunism, warning that it undermines democratic norms. Nevertheless, the party acknowledged that broader opposition unity may be unavoidable if it hopes to reclaim relevance.

Speaking on the shifting political terrain, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the party’s immediate focus was resolving internal legal disputes, adding that discussions on alliances would follow. “The opposition must agree to work together to defeat the ruling party,” he said, while noting that the form such cooperation would take remains a future decision.

Within the ADC, optimism is running high. Party chieftain, Dr Ladan Salihu, described Peter Obi’s recent defection as a “political blockbuster,” arguing that it has transformed the ADC into a serious contender for power in 2027. He dismissed claims of internal division, insisting the party is united and resilient against external pressure.