The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has reacted angrily to the resignation of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, and his planned move to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that Kano voters will view the decision as a betrayal of their mandate.
The party said Yusuf’s departure would not weaken its political base ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement still command widespread grassroots support across the state.
NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, said the governor’s return to the APC amounted to “handing over” a mandate freely given by Kano voters to a party they had rejected at the polls.
“Abba leaving the NNPP will not change the political structure of Kano. By God’s grace, we will win the state with or without him. Our confidence rests with the people,” Johnson said.
In an interview with The Punch, Johnson stressed that the party’s strength in Kano predates Yusuf’s emergence as governor, noting that the NNPP had recorded major electoral victories without holding executive or legislative offices.
“In 2019, without a single elected official, we believed we won Kano. In 2023, the situation was the same, yet the masses voted Abba Yusuf into office. That shows where the real power lies,” he said.
He added that the Kwankwasiyya Movement remains solidly behind the NNPP, dismissing concerns that the governor’s defection could erode the party’s influence in the state.
Meanwhile, NNPP national leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has called on party members to begin early mobilisation for the 2027 elections following Yusuf’s exit.
Addressing supporters at his Miller Road residence in Kano, Kwankwaso praised loyal members for their ideological commitment, describing them as people “who cannot be bought with money to abandon their beliefs.”
“Given the current political realities in Kano, we must prepare for 2027, mobilise at the ward level, and deliver votes across the state,” he said.
Earlier reports said Yusuf resigned from the NNPP on Friday alongside 21 Kano State House of Assembly members, eight House of Representatives members and 44 local government chairmen.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa, confirmed the resignation in a statement, saying Yusuf communicated his decision in a letter to the NNPP chairman of Diso–Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area.
In the letter dated January 23, 2026, Yusuf cited unresolved leadership disputes and ongoing legal battles within the party as reasons for his decision.
“I write with deep gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party of my resignation,” the letter read.
APC sources said the governor is expected to be formally received into the ruling party on Saturday, following directives from APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to conclude his registration alongside his supporters.
However, sources noted that Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo may not defect with Yusuf.
The move follows Yusuf’s recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, which had intensified speculation about his imminent switch to the APC.
