Kano governor's move to APC stalls, pressure mounts to remain in NNPP

The proposed move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), by Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has reportedly stalled, with pressure mounting on him to remain in his party.

The defection, which was initially slated for the first week of January 2026, was pushed to January 12, 2026.

The much anticipated event was again stalled as the governor continued his consultations with National Assembly members, state legislators and key figures in the ruling party amid warnings from his political godfather and 2023 presidential candidate of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The delay, however, has been ascribed to the split in NNPP and the governor’s tough demand from his prospective new party.

It is reported that the governor insisted on an automatic ticket for the 2027 election as a condition to join the APC.

According to sources, the top leadership of the ruling party has been unable to grant the request, placing it on hold, waiting for President Bola Tinubu’s return from his foreign trip.

“The governor does not want to blindly join the APC and then later have people like the former national chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje coming up with their own anointed candidate,” one of the sources stated.

“You know that immediately he joins the party, he will stop enjoying the support he gets from His Excellency Rabiu Kwankwaso so if he doesn’t have the support of people like Ganduje or Kwankwaso, 2027 is going to be very tough for him.

“But if Kwankwaso had agreed to also follow the governor to APC, the whole thing would have been easier for the governor but Kwankwaso himself is not ready to move to APC, at least not yet.

“Now that Mr President is back to Nigeria, things will become clearer in the coming days, hopefully, the governor’s request will be granted but mind you, he is not the only governor seeking re-election”, he said.