Kano NNPP in Turmoil: Caucus Abandon Kwankwaso as Abba Yusuf’s Defection Threatens Total Political Collapse.
Kano politics was jolted today as a high-level caucus’ meeting convened by the National Leader of the NNPP, Senator Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, ended in embarrassment following a mass boycott by key party actors. The meeting, held at his Miller Road residence, was widely viewed as an emergency intervention aimed at containing the escalating crisis surrounding the reported defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The meeting came amid growing confirmation by political analysts that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is pursuing his defection plans without the consent or blessing of Senator Kwankwaso. This development has fundamentally shaken the long-held perception that the Kwankwasiyya movement functions under a single command structure, exposing deep and dangerous fractures within the NNPP in Kano State.
In an unprecedented show of rejection, virtually all invited Caucus and other stakeholders including senators, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Kano State House of Assembly, commissioners, local government chairmen, party executives, and caucus leaders stayed away from the meeting. Only a few loyalists, reportedly from outside Kano State, were seen at the venue, a sight many observers described as a public humiliation for a man once regarded as Kano’s undisputed political kingmaker.
While the meeting struggled for relevance, NNPP powerbrokers and caucus leaders were simultaneously seen paying solidarity visits to the Acting Chairman of the NNPP, Hon. Imam Zubairu (Abiya), who is widely believed to enjoy the full backing of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. The parallel engagements sent a loud and unmistakable signal that the party’s centre of gravity has shifted.
Reacting to the unfolding drama, an APC chieftain who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed open excitement over Governor Abba’s expected defection, stating: “All APC stakeholders are ready to give Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf full support to move Kano forward. His coming will help us deliver the massive votes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to secure re-election in 2027.”
On the possibility of Senator Kwankwaso joining the APC, the same source was emphatic, “We do not need Kwankwaso in APC. If he comes, party leaders, lawmakers, and even Senator Kawu Sumaila will leave. We cannot and will not work with him.” The source further urged the governor to align fully with APC leaders, adding, “Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is a statesman. Today, the truth about him has finally come out.”
The shockwaves have also spread through NNPP grassroots structures. A local government party chairman from Kano Central, who also requested anonymity, admitted, “We now realise that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was not the problem. We wronged him with insults and false accusations, and we ask him to forgive us.”
Political analysts note with irony that what Dr. Ganduje struggled to achieve for nearly four years politically detaching Kano from Kwankwaso appears to have been accomplished by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in less than 48 hours. The speed and scale of the unfolding realignment have stunned even seasoned observers.
Even within Kwankwaso’s inner circle, confidence appears to be evaporating. One caucus member who attended the meeting admitted in disbelief: “The signs are clear. The time has come for our leader, Kwankwaso, to step aside and preserve his dignity before events overtake him.” As events continue to unfold, today’s boycott may well be remembered as the moment Kano politics entered a new and irreversible phase.