Governor Abba Yusuf’s defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked a major political realignment in Kano State, revealing deep divisions within the state’s power structure and setting the stage for a dramatically altered political landscape.
Since Yusuf’s announcement that he was joining the APC, citing the “best interest of the people of Kano State” amid internal NNPP crises, several commissioners and senior government officials have resigned. Among the earliest exits was Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Umaru (retd.), Commissioner for Internal Security and Special Services, followed by Nasiru Sule Garo, Commissioner for Special Duties, both citing shifting political loyalties.
The wave of resignations extended beyond the cabinet. Laminu Rabiu, Director-General of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, and Hassan Danbappa, Managing Director of the Kano State Roads Maintenance Agency, also stepped down, alongside Shafa’atu Ahmed, Chief Governor’s Reporter at the Ministry of Rural and Urban Development.
Perhaps the most symbolically significant departure came from Mustapha Kwankwaso, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development and son of former governor and NNPP national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. His resignation, described as a difficult but principled decision, reinforced the view that the exits are motivated by loyalty to Kwankwaso rather than dissatisfaction with governance.
The pattern of resignations signals that Kwankwaso remains the dominant force in Kano politics. Many of those leaving the governor’s administration are NNPP loyalists who see Yusuf’s defection as a betrayal of the party that delivered electoral victory and of Kwankwaso, the architect of Kano’s formidable grassroots network. The exits suggest coordinated political resistance rooted in allegiance, not isolated personal choices.
Despite ongoing efforts by the APC to court Kwankwaso, including high-level overtures, the former governor has consistently declined to join the party. Instead, he appears strategically aligned with the emerging ADC coalition, positioning himself outside the APC power structure while building an alternative political platform.
The result is an unprecedented and volatile configuration. Kano now has a sitting governor in the APC while the state’s widely acknowledged political leader operates from a different party. This split reshapes the balance of power, limits APC’s prospects of total dominance, and introduces significant uncertainty into future contests.
With alliances shifting, loyalties hardening, and political authority clearly divided, Kano politics has entered uncharted territory, making the road to the 2027 elections one of the most competitive and consequential in the state’s history.
Post a Comment