Kano: Gov Yusuf’s Defection To APC A Big Political Blunder — Umar Ardo

A historian and convener of the League of Northern Democrats, Dr Umar Ardo, has described the resignation and defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a major political miscalculation.

Ardo said the governor’s decision amounted to “a big mistake” and reflected a poor understanding of what he described as the evolutionary history of Kano politics.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Ardo argued that Kano’s political history showed a consistent pattern of alignment with opposition parties rather than the ruling party at the centre.

“Kano politics has always essentially aligned with opposition politics and never purposefully leaned toward the centre. The pattern of its politics since independence validates this assertion,” he said.

Ardo recalled that during the First Republic, while much of the North and the country voted for the Northern People’s Congress, Kano overwhelmingly supported the opposition Northern Elements Progressive Union.

He said a similar pattern played out in the Second Republic when Kano voted for the People’s Redemption Party, despite the National Party of Nigeria dominating nationally.

According to him, in 1999 and under the current democratic dispensation, Kano rejected what was perceived as a conservative party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, and voted for the Peoples Democratic Party.

Ardo noted that when the PDP became the national ruling party, Kano voted it out after one term in 2003 and returned to the opposition by backing the ANPP.

He added that Kano joined the merger that formed the APC in 2015 as part of a national opposition movement against the PDP, but described the state’s stay in the APC as controversial.

“In 2023, Kano returned to its opposition posture by voting for a fringe opposition party, the NNPP,” he said.

Ardo further argued that even judicial attempts to tilt Kano towards the APC after the 2023 election failed.

“Even when the courts, at the tribunal and Court of Appeal levels, tried to move the state into the ruling party, the APC, the Kano electorate stood firmly against it,” he said.

He added that the Supreme Court eventually reversed the move, keeping Kano “where it has always been – predominantly in the opposition.”

Ardo warned that Yusuf’s decision to join the APC could have electoral consequences in 2027.

“To this end, by moving out of the opposition NNPP and joining the APC, the ruling party at the centre, Governor Yusuf and the APC are automatically courting defeat in 2027,” he said.

He argued that the APC may not be able to win both Kano State and the national election.

“Either the APC wins the national government and loses Kano State, or it wins Kano State and loses the national election. But they cannot win both, as Kano’s election pattern over the years does not support that,” Ardo said.

He stated that the trajectory of Kano politics was clear, adding that the final choice now rested with the APC and Governor Yusuf.