Yusuf’s Defection To APC Is Betrayal To Kwankwaso, Kano Electorates — NNPP

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has described the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as an act of betrayal of the party, its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and the people of Kano State.

The NNPP National Spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, stated this on Monday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Asked whether Kwankwaso felt personally betrayed by the governor’s decision, Johnson said the feeling extended beyond the party leader to the electorate that voted the NNPP into power.

“Naturally, he feels betrayed. But it is not just about him,” Johnson said.

“The people endured eight years of what they described as bad governance and came out in their numbers to give a mandate to the NNPP through the leadership of Kwankwaso.”

Johnson said the NNPP had no established political structure in Kano before the 2023 election but still won the governorship.

“We had no councillor, no chairman, yet we won the state. The people voted the NNPP from scratch,” he said.

He added that the electorate stood by Yusuf through the legal battles from the Election Petition Tribunal to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Johnson argued that Yusuf’s defection to the APC without consulting the electorate amounted to a breach of public trust.

“Without consulting the people, you hand power back to those who were voted out after eight years. That is an act of betrayal, no matter how you try to sugar-coat it,” he said.

He dismissed claims that Yusuf could have won the governorship without Kwankwaso’s support.

“It is easy to say that now. They are enjoying their five minutes. I am sure His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusuf, would not stand up anywhere in the world to say that,” Johnson added.

NNPP ‘devastated but strong’

Also speaking on the programme, the NNPP Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Karaye, said the party was deeply hurt by the governor’s defection but remained politically strong in Kano.

“We are really devastated. We feel betrayed and we are not happy with this development. But NNPP is still strong and remains the party to beat in Kano,” Karaye said.

He alleged that party stakeholders were sidelined and denied access to the governor before the defection.

“The governor closed his doors. There was no access to him,” Karaye claimed.

He also rejected claims that Yusuf left the NNPP due to internal crises, insisting the party remained cohesive.

Yusuf officially joins APC

Governor Yusuf formally defected to the APC on Monday alongside 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and nine members of the House of Representatives.

The announcement was made at a political event held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.

Addressing party leaders and supporters, Yusuf said the decision followed extensive consultations across the state and was aimed at improving governance.

“We are choosing partnership rather than polarisation. Political parties are vehicles; the destination is to bring positive change to the people of Kano. Judge this decision by the work we do for the people,” Yusuf said.

Top APC leaders at the event included a former National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje; the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin; and the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Kabiru Bichi.

Yusuf’s political rise was closely linked to Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya movement until their split in January 2026.

Widely regarded as Kwankwaso’s protégé, Yusuf emerged as governor in 2023 on the NNPP platform, polling 1,019,602 votes to defeat the APC candidate.