In an effort to survive the general elections in 2027, Governor Abba Yusuf joined a number of other state governors in losing the sole state under the leadership of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last month.
Governor Yusuf reportedly broke with Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and sided with Kwankwaso’s longtime rival, or what some have referred to as political enemy, Abdullahi Ganduje, causing Kano to experience the largest political defection in recent memory.
The governor put survival over structure, power over bloodline, and refuge over devotion in the eyes of NNPP followers.
As a result of a similar decision made by Ganduje during his tenure as governor, Kwankwaso has also been accused of being bossy.
Yusuf stated in his letter of resignation from the party that put him in power that he could no longer remain in the NNPP due to ongoing internal strife, unresolved leadership disputes at the state and national levels, protracted legal proceedings involving party leadership, member disenfranchisement and deep divisions, and a belief that the party’s divisions had become irreconcilable. He also added that he believed that staying in the party would no longer be in Kano State’s best interests.
Former governor and defense minister Kwankwaso, who led the NNPP and Kwankwasiyya group, was unable to contain his emotions in the face of Yusuf’s defection.
Monday, January 26, 2026, the day Abba Yusuf, also called Abba Gida-Gida, formally joined the APC, should be remembered globally as a day of “betrayal,” according to the former governor.
“As the leader of this movement, I declared the 23rd of January as Betrayal Day today,” the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate stated in a statement following the governor’s departure.
“We think that day should be forever documented in history to guarantee that betrayal and breach of trust are recognized on a worldwide scale.”
By permitting Ganduje to publicly raise his hand, Kwankwaso stated in a another interview with the BBC Hausa that Abba Yusuf will lose the 2027 governorship race.
He stated, “I knew right away that Abba would lose any election when I saw Ganduje raise Abba’s hand.” Kano residents don’t back Gandujiyya. Ganduje’s candidacy lost in 2023, and he lost the 2019 election. Therefore, Abba won’t prevail in 2027.
“Ganduje has raised the hands of many governorship candidates, and they have emerged victorious,” the state’s APC responded right away, through Bala Ibrahim, its director of publicity.
His support has continuously resulted in victories for the governors of Imo, Kogi, Osun, and other places. Kwankwaso should look at the number of hands raised by Ganduje and himself, as well as the triumphs that followed. Abba can’t be an outlier.
In actuality, Ganduje’s hands are those of triumph. Victoria ascerta. In Kano, our party is well-liked and supported by the populace due to its remarkable accomplishments under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Our party and its candidates will therefore undoubtedly win in 2027.
Kwankwaso has run against the APC before and lost. It is therefore not a recent development to lose to the APC. No amount of bluster can alter the course of events, and it is evident that Kwankwaso and the opposition party in Kano State have not won.
Additionally, the governor switched to the APC for personal reasons rather than Kano’s, according to Buba Galadima, the secretary of the NNPP Board of Trustees, who spoke to Arise News.
“If Governor Yusuf had switched from the NNPP to a different party except the APC, I would have said he did a good job. In this instance, however, it is really a question of survival; he did not want us to accept the peace in Kano or the Kano people.
It is important to note that this betrayal is the third in global history, after Judas’s betrayal of Jesus and Brutus’ betrayal of the Caesars. Governor Yusuf of Kano has announced the third one that should be added to the Guinness Book of Records.
Consequently, our commander requested that we designate January 23rd as the world’s greatest betrayal day. Since I don’t give in to emotions like that, anything that could make me cry must have moved me beyond words. I’m well over 75.
NNPP National Youth Leader Amb. Auwal Musa Muhammad responded to a question about Kwankwaso’s future by saying, “The NNPP structure across the federation—at national, state, LGA, ward, and grassroots levels—remains firmly loyal to Kwankwaso.” Trust, philosophy, consistency, and shown leadership over the years serve as the foundation for this allegiance.
The NNPP cannot be undermined by political choices motivated by convenience or self-interest. It is no coincidence that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is a politician.
His political experience encompasses decades of service, sacrifice, and people-focused governance, making him a tried-and-true, reliable, and results-driven leader. As Kano State’s governor, his accomplishments are still evident and substantiated.
“We congratulate His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor of Kano State, well in his personal political decision to join the APC. It’s political.
But this ruling has no bearing whatsoever on Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s organizational framework, or its political clout—in Kano State or nationally.
Defectors are not a rival of Senator Kwankwaso. He functions from a position of ideology, legacy, and a strong political foundation that has been established over time. Service, stability, and public trust are the keys to political relevance; shifting political platforms is not.
The NNPP is still functional, cohesive, disciplined, and steadfastly devoted to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Instead of being based on convenience, this party is based on organization, doctrine, and grassroots power.
Defection cannot change the past. No single choice has the power to destroy structure. The NNPP is resilient, cohesive, and devoted.
According to Chief Peter Ameh, a former presidential candidate and activist, Governor Yusuf will not be able to regain power following the 2027 governorship election.
“I believe that people who are assuming Kwankwaso has fallen are misinterpreting the facts. They are obstinate, and the facts are extremely plain.
“The fact that Kwankwaso put Yusuf in the running for governor in 2019.” He wasn’t the governor. They won the election, but it was manipulated. They worked hard to try to overthrow the APC’s authority and power of state, relying on the Kwankwasiyya’s structure.
“There was no surrender, but there was a retreat. In 2023, they returned. They used all of the federal government’s power, including the federal structure and all of the state’s power, to challenge Ganduje in the election and prevail.
Because no one in Nigeria knew Abba Yusuf, Kwankwaso became governor. His appointment as governor was a result of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Additionally, Yusuf should be wary of the repercussions of his actions as long as Kwankwaso stays in the NNPP and does not join the APC, as Kwankwaso is the one driving the discourse.
As a result, I am certain that Abba Yusuf will be disciplined in 2027 because Kano residents are politically opposed to what is happening in other regions of the nation, and I am furious about this.
“The nature of our election has evolved. People no longer stuff ballot boxes, rig elections, rewrite outcomes without a vote, or steal electoral mandates democratically.
With or without Kwankwaso, the Kano State Government has insisted that Abba Yusuf will easily win the general election in 2027.
Insisting that Yusuf’s chances of winning reelection depend on his performance and the support of the public, the administration denied allegations that he cannot win a second term without the help of political godfathers.
In a statement, Ibrahim Waiya, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, responded to statements ascribed to Galadima by saying that supporters of the governor should close their eyes because victory is certain.
Kano functions according to its own historical cadence, political awareness, and civic memory.
In the end, he observed, “the electorate holds the power in the state, and their loyalty has always been contingent on performance, character, trust, and credibility.”
However, the NNPP warned the Governor of approaching disaster and reminded him that “this is not the first time such a betrayal has occurred in the political history of Kano” through Ladipo Johnson, its national publicity secretary.
Around 120 out of 126 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, the majority of Kano representatives in the National Assembly, and almost all local government chairmen and council members joined Alhaji Abubakar Rimi when he defected from the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) to the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) in the early 1980s.
However, the people gave a clear and decisive vote: Mallam Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo of the PRP defeated Rimi in the 1983 gubernatorial election, placing him in second place. Even more telling is the fact that only one of the 120 state assembly members who defected with Rimi was re-elected; this should serve as a harsh reminder to any politician who is considering such a course.
People who sacrifice loyalty for convenience and honor for dishonesty are rarely exempt from public condemnation, as history has often demonstrated. In the end, the masses of Kano will remain loyal to principled leadership because the truth never fades.
On Thursday, Kwankwaso and Yusuf put their popularity to the test at Kano’s Singer Market when they both made separate presentations to show support for traders following a horrific fire event.
When Kwankwaso arrived at the market first, he was greeted by a mob of supporters. A few hours later, Governor Yusuf visited and was also greeted by a crowd.
In addition to promising financial assistance and prompt government action to the impacted traders, Kwankwaso’s arrival and reception served as a reminder that the godfather’s power is still felt throughout the state.
