The planned defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), earlier slated for Monday, January 5, 2026, has been postponed to January 12, The Nation has learnt.
Sources said the shift was to allow the governor additional time to consult with National Assembly members from Kano State and other key stakeholders who are yet to fully commit to the move.
In the state, it was gathered that members of the Kano State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Jibril Isma’il Falgore, have aligned with the majority of local government council chairmen who have already endorsed the governor’s defection by signing the decamping document.
The planned defection is understood to be part of a broader political realignment aimed at positioning Governor Yusuf for a major leadership role within the APC in Kano State, while also strengthening his chances of securing the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the move has reportedly not received the approval of the governor’s political benefactor and NNPP national leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who is widely speculated to be considering a move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
When it eventually occurs, the defection is expected to deal a significant blow to the Kwankwasiyya Movement, led by Kwankwaso, who has warned that betrayal of the movement would not go unpunished.
The rift within the NNPP and the disagreement between Yusuf and Kwankwaso have deepened in recent weeks, culminating in the removal of the party’s Kano State Chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, a known Kwankwaso loyalist.
To consolidate his grip on the party’s structure in the state, Governor Yusuf subsequently approved the appointment of Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya as Acting State Chairman of the NNPP in Kano. The NNPP national secretariat, however, has declared the leadership change in Kano null and void.
The APC is treating Yusuf’s defection move as a major political gain, with senior leadership involved in the coordination. In the initial arrangement on Monday, Vice President Kashim Shettima was to receive Abba Yusuf in Abuja before the event was shifted.
Governor Yusuf’s defection to APC has significant implications for Kano State politics and beyond, including striping the NNPP of its only governorship seat and potentially reducing its influence and viability as a national party.
On the other hand, the defection will bolster APC’s dominance in Kano and enhance its chances, including President Bola Tinubu’s in the 2027 general elections.
Curiously, the move is already redefining the political landscape in Kano.
Yusuf’s much awaited arrival in APC is already sparking rivalries within the APC. The existing power bloc of the Kano APC, led by immediate past Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has been directed by the president to welcome Yusuf and work together in the overall interest of the party.
Already, Ganduje and State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas have invited Governor Yusuf, urging him to feel free to join the ruling party.
However, Yusuf’s defection to the APC will ultimately neutralise the chance of Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin who has been aspiring for the ticket to contest against Yusuf in 2027 polls, a development that will likely influence negotiations, future alliances and voter alignments in Kano State.
