…Gov Yusuf fighting for his political future – Analyst
A major political tension is brewing within the Kwankwasiyya Movement as reports of an impending defection by Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, continue to generate anxiety and sharp divisions among key stakeholders of the political bloc.
The movement, led by former Kano State Governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has long been regarded as a tightly knit political structure built on loyalty and grassroots mobilisation.
However, speculation over Governor Yusuf’s possible switch to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has exposed internal fault lines, with loyalists split over the future direction of the movement.
Sources within the NNPP in Kano say the defection plot has created intense disagreements between pro-Kwankwaso loyalists and a growing faction aligned with the governor.
While Kwankwaso’s camp is reportedly opposed to any move that could weaken the movement’s identity and bargaining power ahead of 2027, supporters of Yusuf argue that aligning with the APC could offer Kano State greater access to federal resources and political leverage.
Some of the governor’s loyalists say the defection was also in need to bring peace in the state between different political groups and camps, especially among the APC political family.
The situation has heightened political anxiety in the state, prompting increased consultations among party leaders and influential figures.
Security presence around key government facilities in Kano has also been reinforced in recent days, reflecting concerns over possible unrest should the internal crisis escalate.
Analysts note that a defection by Yusuf would mark a major setback for the Kwankwasiyya movement, which played a decisive role in the governor’s election victory.
They argue that such a move could fragment the movement’s base, weaken its influence in northern politics, and alter Kano’s political calculations ahead of future elections.
Despite the growing speculation, neither the Kano State Government nor the leadership of the Kwankwasiyya Movement has made an official statement confirming or denying the defection plans.
As political manoeuvring continues behind closed doors, observers say the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the movement can manage the crisis or face a deeper internal rupture.
Kwankwaso raises the alarm
Last weekend, Kwankwaso openly accused Governor Yusuf of plotting to hand over Kano State to former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, a claim that has further deepened the political divide.
Kwankwaso said Kano had previously been rescued from Ganduje’s leadership, warning that any political realignment that empowers his former ally would undermine the will of the people.
Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State and immediate past national chairman of the APC, was once a close political associate of Kwankwaso. Their relationship, however, collapsed following the change of power in 2015, leading to one of the most bitter political rivalries in northern Nigeria.
Government pushes back
Speaking to Kwankwaso’s allegations, the governor’s media adviser, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, popularly known as Nagoda, dismissed claims of a breakdown in loyalty, insisting that Governor Yusuf still holds Kwankwaso in high regard.
“We still respect and regard Kwankwaso as our political leader,” Dawakin Tofa told journalists, while stressing that the governor’s actions were being guided strictly by the responsibilities of governance.
However, he subtly justified the alleged move to the APC, suggesting that it had become necessary to address Kano’s security and political stability challenges.
He expressed optimism that Kwankwaso would eventually come to terms with the decision.
According to him, Governor Yusuf, as the Chief Security Officer of Kano State, has faced limitations in enforcing security directives.
“It is unfortunate that a governor would give security directives and the police would say they are waiting for directives from someone outside Kano,” he said.
Read also: Kwankwaso eyes APC return, demands recognition for Kwankwasiyya movement
Emirate crisis adds to pressure
Dawakin Tofa also linked the situation to the lingering emirate crisis in Kano, recalling a recent incident in which the convoy of the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, was reportedly attacked with stones near the Nasarawa Palace, residence of the 15th Emir, Aminu Ado Bayero.
“Such incidents should not happen in a state like Kano,” he said, adding that aligning with the APC at the federal level could help restore stability, strengthen security coordination and improve the welfare of residents.
He said that the governor was optimistic and praying that Kwankwaso softens and leads the way to the APC.
Governor Yusuf fighting for his political future – Analyst
The decision of Governor Yusuf to defect to the ruling party could be a way of fighting for his political future, considering his re-election may not be guaranteed in the NNPP, political analysts have told BusinessDay.
The analysts said the governor’s camp maybe afraid that he may be rigged out in the gubernatorial election since the deputy Senate president is likely to be ruling party’s candidate in Kano.
“The Kano governor is afraid of the uncertainty that await him if he remains in the NNPP and contests the governorship election, fearing the APC candidate which may likely be the deputy Senate president would use federal force to rig him out,” Kunle Okunade, a political analyst, said.
“You can’t blame him it is politics; it is the same thing that happened in 2019, where he was rigged out when he was in the PDP.”
But Philip Ikechukwu, a political analyst, in a chat with BusinessDay cautioned the Kano Governor defecting to the ruling APC may not automatically translate into electoral victory for Governor Yusuf in 2027.
Ikechukwu stated that while the APC’s influence in Kano has grown in recent months, the state’s politics remains highly unpredictable.
According to him, Governor Yusuf may be acting out of fear that his re-election prospects under the NNPP are not fully secured, especially with shifting alliances ahead of 2027.
“Apparently, the governor may have been poached and promised all sorts of incentives to defect, similar to what we are seeing with other governors across the country,” Ikechukwu said.
He warned, however, that history offers no guarantees.
“APC ruled Kano before and lost in 2023. In 2019, the governorship election went into a rerun and was heavily disputed, with NNPP supporters claiming they were rigged out,” he noted.
Ikechukwu added that Kwankwaso’s enduring influence and the strength of the Kwankwasiyya movement at the grassroots level remain major factors that could determine the outcome of future elections.
“If the votes of the people are allowed to count, Kano can swing either way in 2027,” he said.
“Just like Lagos, APC has not found Kano easy in recent years. The governorship race remains wide open.”
Similarly, a senior NNPP chieftain said there was no justification for Governor Yusuf’s defection, arguing that the NNPP administration remains popular and firmly backed by the grassroots-driven Kwankwasiyya movement.
According to him, Yusuf should reflect on the consequences of damaging his relationship with Kwankwaso, who stood by him during legal and political battles following the 2023 elections.
“It is shameful that he is considering moving to the APC after all the support we gave him, even when they were doing everything possible to bring him down after the 2023 victory,” the source said.
“The people of Kano stood by him. Is this how he wants to reward them? Let us wait and see how it all ends.”
Read also: Shekarau defends Governor Yusuf, says defection not a betrayal of Kwankwaso, NNPP
Defection, calculated arrangement involving Kwankwaso and Yusuf
As the drama continues in Kano many political watchers say the planned defection by the Kano governor could be a carefully coordinated political arrangement involving both Kwankwaso and Yusuf.
They noted that knowing that his popularity of the NNPP is waning the governor was planning to defect to the ruling as the only way of winning re-election in 2027.
A prominent party figure in Kano, AbdulMajid DanBilki Kwamanda, claimed that the entire process maybe planned between the two politicians.
In a video circulating widely on social media, Kwamanda dismissed suggestions of a real rift, insisting that nothing short of death could separate the duo.
“There is nothing that will wedge Abba and Kwankwaso apart,” he said.
Kwamanda alleged that the strategy involved Governor Yusuf moving to the APC to secure a second term, while his deputy, Aminu AbdulSalam, would remain in the NNPP to contest future elections.
“So, whoever wins Kano, it’s a win-win situation for Kwankwaso,” he claimed.
