Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and head of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has said Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf will face consequences for defecting from the NNPP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in comments that underline deepening political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kwankwaso made the remarks in an interview with BBC Hausa, describing Yusuf’s exit from the NNPP as shocking and painful for loyalists who helped build his political base in Kano. He argued that abandoning the party that played a central role in Yusuf’s rise to power could have long‑term political implications for the governor and his supporters.
It was stated by Kwankwaso that while success may be perceived in the short term, the passage of time will reveal the full outcomes. It was further asserted that such actions carry consequences and that the lasting implications of Yusuf’s defection are yet to be fully realized.
Kwankwaso also warned that the governor’s decision could affect his chances of re‑election in 2027, saying that aligning with the APC and former Kano governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje’s political bloc known locally as “Gandujiyya” might weaken Yusuf’s political standing among Kwankwaso’s traditional supporters.
The split has fuelled a broader political rift in Kano State, where the NNPP and particularly the Kwankwasiyya movement has been a dominant force since Yusuf’s 2023 election victory on the party’s platform. Since announcing his defection on January 26, 2026, the governor has been endorsed by several APC leaders and local officeholders who defected with him, while some party loyalists have vowed to reclaim the state for the NNPP in 2027. The fallout reflects lingering internal divisions and realignments within Kano’s political landscape, with both sides articulating competing visions for the state’s governance and electoral future as the next general election cycle approaches.
