Opposition Parties Furious As Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf Dumps NNPP For APC

The political ground in Kano State shifted sharply on Monday as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf confirmed his defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), triggering an immediate storm of reactions from across Nigeria’s opposition landscape.

From Abuja to Kano, the move set off accusations of betrayal, counterclaims of political survival and fresh warnings that elite defections do not necessarily move voters.

While the APC rolled out the red carpet, opposition parties closed ranks, insisting that Yusuf’s decision would not change the political arithmetic of 2027 and warning that power ultimately rests with the electorate, not governors switching platforms.

Kano state whose politics is often defined by mass movements rather than individual office holders, the defection carries symbolic weight.

Yusuf rose to power under the NNPP and the powerful Kwankwasiyya Movement, a political structure deeply rooted in grassroots mobilisation and associated with former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

His exit from that platform has reopened old wounds and revived historical memories of defections that failed spectacularly at the ballot box.

Within hours of the announcement, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Labour Party all lined up to condemn the development, framing it as an act driven by personal interest rather than popular mandate.

They argued that no matter how many governors cross over to the ruling party, elections are still won by voters, not by press conferences or registration ceremonies.

PDP, ADC Frown At Abba Kabir Yusuf’s Defection

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described Yusuf’s defection and those of other governors as a moral failure that exposes deeper flaws in Nigeria’s political culture. Speaking in an interview, he argued that elected officials are bound by a social contract with the people, a contract anchored on the political platform that brought them to office.

“The troubling part is that this is not how the system is supposed to work,” Ememobong said. “It does not address the issue of people who were elected, nor does it speak to the promises that were made. There are moral questions involved. A social contract exists between elected officials and the people, and that contract is entered into on the basis of a political party.

“Once elected on that platform, it is morally wrong to abandon it midway. If you intend to contest another election, you should wait until the end of your tenure and then contest on another platform. Alternatively, you should vacate the office and allow the party on whose platform you were elected to retain the mandate, especially when the party you are joining was a fierce opponent.”

The broader implications go beyond Kano for Ememobong. He insisted that the ruling party’s growing list of defectors is not a sign of strength but of fear ahead of 2027.

“This sudden push for defections is a sign of APC cowardice, not political strength,” he said.

“Presidential elections are not won by forcing people to defect or by making the electorate suffer. The people did not defect along with these governors. The ruling party has failed, and Nigerians who have not defected and will not defect will vote the APC out.”

The ADC echoed similar sentiments, but with sharper language. Its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the trend of governors moving to the APC was less about ideology or performance and more about personal protection and political convenience.

“Well, obviously, we do not doubt that he is joining for the same reason other governors have joined, to seek protection,” Abdullahi said. “They all know that the easiest way to secure a second term is by joining the ruling party. They believe that is where they will get a free ride into a second term.

“They also believe they are answering the call of the APC, that whoever joins their party, no matter how sinful he is, will have his sins forgiven. That is why they are joining. They are not joining because they believe what the ruling party is doing to their people is right, or because they care about the people. They do not care about the people; they only care about themselves.”

Abdullahi dismissed suggestions that the defections would translate into votes in 2027, pointing to past elections where governors failed to deliver their states despite being in power.

“We have evidence of this from the last election,” he said. “In Delta State, the governor belonged to one party, yet another party won the election. The same thing happened in Edo, and the same in Lagos. So the situation is not as bad as it is being portrayed.”

The Labour Party also weighed in, cautioning against equating elite movement with grassroots support. Its Interim National Chairman, Senator Nenadi Usman, used a Hausa proverb to highlight her point, arguing that political impact cannot be measured by defections alone.

“Just because all the governors have trooped to one side does not really mean that you should conclude that the opposition is not going to have any impact come 2027,” she said. “I don’t really look at it like that.”

Usman admitted uncertainty over the motivations behind the growing wave of defections but hinted at rumours that have become common in political circles.

“Honestly, I don’t know what is making them flock to the APC. We hear a lot of news around. We hear stories of people who say that if you join the APC, your sins are forgiven. So it could be that, I don’t know,” she added.

While opposition parties traded accusations, the APC moved quickly to frame Yusuf’s defection as a major boost and a validation of its governance record. The party’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, described the move as a homecoming, noting that Yusuf had previously been a member of the APC before joining the NNPP.

“The party is looking forward to his arrival,” Ibrahim said. “After all, he was once a member of the APC before defecting to another party, the NNPP, so this move is more like a homecoming.”

According to Ibrahim, the steady influx of political heavyweights into the ruling party reflects growing acceptance of its principles and policies.

“The more people who join, the better, especially when they are committed democrats,” he said. “An increase in participation, support base and membership reflects positively on the party, showing that its principles, policies and programmes are being welcomed by Nigerians.”

He dismissed opposition claims that defections would not matter in 2027, describing talk of a coalition unseating the APC as wishful thinking.

“While wishful thinking is allowed in a free society, it does not necessarily reflect the will of the majority,” Ibrahim said. “Given the way the APC continues to be embraced, the idea of a coalition ganging up to unseat the party remains a dream that will not come true.”

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf defends decision

At the centre of the storm, Yusuf defended his decision as a move rooted in governance rather than politics. Speaking ahead of his formal registration into the APC, the governor said his return to the party was driven by a desire to strengthen unity and deliver development across Kano State.

“This is not just a political move; it is a step to ensure that governance remains people-centred and that our developmental agenda reaches every corner of Kano State,” Yusuf said.

He added that his focus was on cooperation rather than confrontation. “Our focus is on building unity, strengthening political cooperation, and ensuring that the people benefit from effective governance, irrespective of party affiliations.”

Reflecting on his earlier stint in the APC, Yusuf said, “I am returning to a party I know, a platform where experience meets structure, and where we can collectively pursue progress for Kano State.”

His spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, confirmed that the governor is scheduled to officially register as an APC member in Kano, alongside 22 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives and all 44 local government chairmen. Yusuf is also expected to inaugurate the party’s e-registration exercise in the state, signalling a coordinated shift of political machinery.

The NNPP, however, reacted with fury, describing Yusuf’s exit as a betrayal of both the party and the people of Kano. In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, said the governor’s decision amounted to a rejection of the very movement that brought him to power.

“We deeply regret that Governor Abba, a man entrusted by the people of Kano State on the strength of his decades of unwavering loyalty and dedicated service to the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has now chosen to betray that sacred trust,” the statement said.

Johnson rejected Yusuf’s claim of an irredeemable crisis within the NNPP, pointing to recent party activities supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“It is noteworthy that our party had recently conducted congresses for its leadership from the ward to the national convention, held on 20th December 2025, which the governor himself was present at, and INEC had supervised,” the statement said. “The party had also participated in and won two supplementary elections for Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa constituencies.”

The NNPP drew historical parallels to caution against overestimating the impact of defections in Kano. Recalling events from the early 1980s, the party cited the case of former governor Abubakar Rimi, who defected with the bulk of Kano’s political structure but was defeated at the polls.

“Yet, the electorate delivered a resounding verdict,” the statement said. “In the 1983 gubernatorial election, Rimi was humiliatingly defeated. Of the 120 state assembly members who joined his defection, only one was re-elected. This should serve as a sobering lesson to any politician contemplating the path of disloyalty.”

Beyond Kano, Yusuf’s defection adds to a growing list of governors who have left the PDP for the APC in recent months. Among them are Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau. Several lawmakers, former governors and ex-ministers have also made similar moves.

President Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders have repeatedly denied allegations that the party is working towards a one-party state, insisting that the APC remains open and inclusive.

Back in Kano, attention has also turned to former governor and ex-APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, who is expected to return to Nigeria from London. His former Chief of Staff, Mohammed Garba, said Ganduje might head straight to Kano to welcome Yusuf, a gesture that would underline the symbolic significance of the defection.

As political camps harden and rhetoric intensifies, one reality remains clear. Kano’s politics has never been dictated solely by party labels or elite manoeuvres. With memories of past betrayals still fresh and the 2027 elections looming, the battle for the state is far from settled.