Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and current Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf are reportedly preparing to defect from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a move framed as reflecting the will of Kano voters and political stakeholders.

The development was disclosed by Abdullahi Rogo, Director-General of the Protocol Directorate at the Kano State Government House, in a viral video. Rogo said consultations had been held with key figures in the state, including the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly and members of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

“After our meeting with the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly and other members of Kwankwasiyya, we agreed that Kwankwaso and Kano State Governor Abba K. Yusuf should join the APC,” Rogo stated, describing the move as aligned with the interests of Kano voters and aimed at strengthening the state’s influence at the national level.

The decision, he said, represents a strategic solution while urging stakeholders to avoid abusive politics and remain loyal to the Kwankwasiyya movement even as they follow their leaders into the APC.

Support for the defection was echoed by Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director-General of Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House, alongside local government leaders who confirmed that pro-Yusuf caucuses were united behind the decision.

Sources indicate that Governor Yusuf plans to formally announce his defection in the first week of January, despite some hesitation from Kwankwaso, who reportedly questioned leaving the NNPP after its 2023 electoral success. Kwankwaso reminded lawmakers that the NNPP won the previous elections “with nobody but God,” rhetorically asking if divine support would not continue into 2027.

Governor Yusuf, however, reportedly assured lawmakers that his decision to join the APC is final, potentially making him the first NNPP-elected governor to switch to the ruling party since the 2023 general election.

If confirmed, the defection is expected to alter political calculations in Kano, strengthen the APC ahead of upcoming elections, and maintain the legacy of the Kwankwasiyya movement within the state.