By Nworisa Michael
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly cleared the way for Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Sources familiar with the meeting disclosed that the discussions, which lasted about three hours on Monday, resolved lingering political concerns that had delayed the governor’s planned defection. A formal announcement is now expected within days.
The meeting comes amid weeks of intense political speculation in Kano State, where Governor Yusuf’s alleged plan to join the APC has dominated public discourse and strained his relationship with his political benefactor and NNPP national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
According to insiders, Yusuf’s hesitation was linked to uncertainties surrounding his political future within the APC, including assurances over his 2027 re-election bid, the protection of his political structure, and the safety of his supporters within the ruling party. These concerns were reportedly addressed during the meeting with President Tinubu.
A source said, “The president wants him in the APC, and the governor also wants to align with the president. Everything has now been resolved.”
Governor Yusuf declined to address journalists after the meeting, stating only that he “will be back.”
Although the governor has maintained public silence on the issue, his aides and associates have in recent months been seen engaging APC leaders in Kano and Abuja, fueling speculation of an imminent defection. Earlier reports suggested the move had stalled after APC leaders hesitated to offer firm commitments, particularly on an automatic return ticket in 2027.
However, Monday’s meeting appears to have revived momentum, with sources indicating that President Tinubu personally assured Yusuf of his strategic value to the APC, especially in Kano and the wider North-West, where the party underperformed in the 2023 elections.
Despite Yusuf’s apparent readiness to defect, uncertainty surrounds the future of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The NNPP leader has neither endorsed nor fully opposed the move, insisting that any defection must be backed by clear and binding political guarantees.
Addressing supporters recently, Kwankwaso warned against poorly planned defections, stressing the need for clarity on political roles, direction, and the fate of supporters.
He said he had not ruled out joining the APC but would not do so “blindly,” citing past political alliances that ended in marginalisation.
The APC in Kano State has welcomed the prospect of Yusuf’s defection, describing it as a major boost ahead of future elections. The party’s state secretary, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina, confirmed that arrangements had been concluded to receive the governor, pending a date to be fixed by the Presidency.
On Kwankwaso, Sarina said the party would not force him to join, noting that while he would be welcomed, the APC would not tolerate internal crises.
Further confirmation of Yusuf’s imminent defection emerged from a viral video in which House of Representatives member, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, disclosed that the APC had suspended its electronic registration exercise in Kano on President Tinubu’s directive, pending Yusuf’s formal entry into the party.
While reactions among Kwankwasiyya loyalists remain mixed, some supporters have warned that Yusuf’s defection could deepen political divisions in the state. Others insist that the Kwankwasiyya movement will remain intact regardless of the governor’s decision.
Political observers say Yusuf’s potential defection could significantly reshape Kano’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.