Kano Defection Saga: Governor Yusuf’s High-Stakes Gamble for 2027

The political atmosphere in Kano State has reached a fever pitch as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s widely anticipated defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) hits a series of strategic roadblocks. What was initially rumored to be a New Year’s political bombshell has transformed into a protracted game of chess, with the governor reportedly stalling his move until he secures ironclad guarantees for his political survival in 2027.

At the heart of the impasse is the governor’s demand for an “automatic ticket” for his re-election bid. Sources close to the negotiations suggest that Yusuf is unwilling to leap into the APC without a written assurance that he will not face a hostile primary or be sidelined by the party’s established power brokers. The memory of former National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje’s influence looms large, and the governor is said to be wary of entering a “camp of adversaries” only to be replaced by an anointed candidate of the old guard.

The timing of the defection has already shifted multiple times this month. Originally slated for the first week of January 2026, the date was pushed to January 12 before being postponed indefinitely. Insiders reveal that the APC leadership, while eager to reclaim the most populous state in the North, is hesitant to bypass its democratic traditions. The party’s firm stance—that all aspirants must undergo the primary process—has created a deadlock that even high-level consultations with National Assembly members have failed to break.

The governor’s dilemma is further compounded by the “Kwankwaso factor.” His political godfather and the national leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reportedly made it clear that he will not be following his protégé to the APC. This split threatens to strip Yusuf of the formidable “Kwankwasiyya” grassroots support that propelled him to power in 2023. Without this base, the governor faces the daunting prospect of running for a second term in a party where he is yet to build a loyal structure.

Internal fissures within the NNPP have also accelerated the governor’s wandering eye. A bitter dispute over the party’s identity—symbolized by a controversial change of the party logo from a basket of fruits to a book and mortarboard—has fractured the “Red Cap” movement. While the Kwankwaso faction pushed for the rebranding, the governor’s camp stood its ground, leading to a breakdown in communication and a flurry of legal battles that have left the party’s future in Kano looking increasingly precarious.

The standoff has even split the governor’s inner circle. While the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismail Falgore, is said to be supportive of the realignment, other key figures, including Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, remain staunchly loyal to the Kwankwaso camp. This internal division within the state executive council has added another layer of complexity to an already volatile situation.

Governor Yusuf is now reportedly looking toward the Presidency for a final signal. With President Bola Tinubu’s return to the country, the governor’s team is hopeful that a “presidential intervention” might provide the guarantees the party leadership is currently withholding. However, with other APC heavyweights like Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin already eyeing the 2027 gubernatorial seat, the road to an automatic ticket is anything but clear.

For the people of Kano, the uncertainty has translated into a tense waiting game. Security was visibly tightened around the Government House earlier this week, reflecting the gravity of the political shift currently under negotiation. As the governor continues his wide-ranging consultations, the question remains: will he risk the “security” of the NNPP for a chance to join the ruling party, or will his insistence on an automatic ticket prove to be the deal-breaker that keeps him in the “basket of fruits”?