Former presidential candidate and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed deep disappointment and conviction that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his associates will eventually regret leaving the NNPP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In his first media interview since the governor’s defection, Kwankwaso told the BBC Hausa Service that Yusuf’s exit came as a shock to many, including himself. “Many people I spoke to felt it was some kind of arrangement—between him and me, or between him and others. Even I often find it hard to believe that things are unfolding the way they are,” he said.
Governor Yusuf officially resigned from the NNPP on Friday, January 23, 2026, and defected to the APC on Monday, January 26, 2026, less than three years after winning the 2023 Kano governorship election on the NNPP platform. At his defection event, Yusuf cited the direction of Nigerian politics, the need for development in Kano State, and internal party issues as reasons for his move. He stated that he consulted widely with political associates and stakeholders before deciding.
Kwankwaso, however, described the governor’s action as handing over the mandate of NNPP members and Kano people to the “Gandujiyya political camp” without strong justification. “When I lie down, I reflect and ask myself: what really happened? Who was at fault? Was it me? Was it the party? Were party members at fault? But I have not been able to find an answer,” he told the BBC.
The NNPP leader rejected claims of internal crisis within the party, one of the reasons Yusuf cited for leaving. “I can assure you, to the best of my knowledge, there is no party more peaceful and stable than the NNPP. And if there is any, let them hold their national convention and candidate selection processes, then you will see disputes,” he said.
Kwankwaso emphasized that the issues raised by the governor could have been resolved through dialogue and cooperation. He maintained that the decision to defect was unnecessary and poorly justified.
Addressing those who have left the NNPP but still claim allegiance to the Kwankwasiyya movement, Kwankwaso drew a clear line: “Light and darkness have already been defined in Kano. If you want to practice Kwankwasiyya, who asked you to leave Kwankwasiyya? Stay where Kwankwasiyya is and practice it there.”
He also criticised the public manner in which former Kano Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje welcomed Yusuf into the APC, describing it as evidence of a political setback for Ganduje. “If Ganduje truly had the power to raise someone’s hand to victory, he would have done so in 2019. If he had that power, he would have done so in 2023,” Kwankwaso remarked.
Kwankwaso reiterated his belief that Yusuf and his team will face significant challenges within the APC and predicted regret. “Even if he does not return, he will regret it,” he said.
The defection marks a major shift in Kano politics, where Kwankwaso had sponsored Yusuf in the 2023 governorship race, leading to his victory over the APC’s Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna. The move has sparked reactions across the state, with NNPP supporters expressing disappointment and APC leaders welcoming the governor as a strategic gain ahead of future elections.
Kwankwaso concluded by urging NNPP members and Kwankwasiyya followers to remain committed, insisting that the party remains strong and stable despite the high-profile exit.
