Former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has issued a strong warning to Governor Abba Yusuf, saying the decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will cost him his political future.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso said Yusuf’s chances of securing a second term in 2027 ended the moment he aligned with key APC figures in Kano.
According to him, the move came as a shock to the party that sponsored Yusuf to power and represents a deep political betrayal.
Kwankwaso claimed that the governor’s re-election prospects vanished when former APC National Chairman and ex-Kano governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, publicly embraced him. He insisted that the NNPP never anticipated such a turn of events from Yusuf.
“We did not expect this level of betrayal from Governor Abba Yusuf,” Kwankwaso said. “The day Ganduje raised his hand, the election was already lost. He will regret this decision.”
The NNPP leader added that any attempt by the governor to blame his struggles on alleged interference or lack of support from the party would be firmly challenged.
NNPP Leadership Reacts
Echoing Kwankwaso’s position, Secretary of the NNPP Board of Trustees, Buba Galadima, also criticised Yusuf’s defection, describing it as a move driven solely by personal ambition rather than the interests of Kano State.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, Galadima said Yusuf’s alliance with Ganduje—long regarded as Kwankwaso’s political rival—amounted to a rejection of the political structure and support base that secured his victory.
Asked whether the move benefited Kano residents, Galadima dismissed the suggestion, saying it served only the governor’s individual goals.
“This was about personal interest—nothing else,” he said. “It was not about Kano people, not about peace in the state. He wanted us to accept it, but we cannot.”
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Galadima added that public reaction might have been less severe if Yusuf had joined a different political party, arguing that aligning with the APC, and particularly Ganduje, crossed a political red line for NNPP supporters.
