Former Kano State Governor and national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has given his blessing to the proposed defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and other NNPP-elected officials in Kano State to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso disclosed his position in a brief video message shared on Facebook on Tuesday by his media aide, Saifullahi Hassan.
The announcement has stirred intense political reactions across Kano State, given Kwankwaso’s longstanding influence in the state’s political structure.
The endorsement represents a sharp turnaround for the former governor, who had earlier criticised the planned defection and accused Governor Yusuf and other NNPP office holders of abandoning the mandate entrusted to them by Kano voters.
Explaining his change of heart, Kwankwaso said his decision was driven by the need to reduce internal frictions within the NNPP and to allow party members to exercise their political choices without restriction. He noted that sustained disagreements and mounting political pressure within the party had reached a point where maintaining peace and unity became more important than continuing internal battles.
According to him, reports reaching his office indicated that officials within the Kano State Government were allegedly being pressured to declare loyalty to either the Gandujiyya or Kwankwasiyya political camps, a situation he described as deeply troubling.
“I have received various reports, some encouraging and others very disturbing,” Kwankwaso said. “I was informed that state officials and elected local government chairmen are being compelled to sign documents aligning them with either Gandujiyya or Kwankwasiyya. This is something our supporters will not take lightly. It is painful that governance has been reduced to this level.”
Despite his concerns, Kwankwaso urged his followers to make personal decisions about their political future without fear or coercion. He made it clear that he would not stand in the way of those choosing to move to the APC.
“If you are asked to sign documents to decamp to the APC, go ahead and sign them. I have no objection,” he said.
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The development signals a major shift in Kano’s political dynamics and could reshape alliances ahead of future elections in the state.
