Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor of Kano State, is expected to formally leave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), according to a number of sources.
This comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governor met behind closed doors on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Daily Trust was informed by sources with knowledge of the meeting that the conversation cleared the path for a formal declaration that is anticipated in the coming days by resolving unresolved political issues that had previously delayed the governor’s intended defection.
The encounter took place in the midst of weeks of intense political speculation in Kano, where Yusuf’s alleged plan to join the APC has dominated public conversation and disrupted his long-standing friendship with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the national leader of the NNPP and former governor.
Sources claim that Yusuf’s recent “hesitation” was caused by doubts about his political future within the APC, specifically with regard to guarantees about his 2027 reelection campaign, the future of his existing political apparatus, and the safety of his supporters within the ruling party.
Insiders claimed that the discussion with President Tinubu covered those topics.
According to a source familiar with the talks, “he may formally announce it tomorrow (Tuesday) or the day after because everything has been resolved.” “The governor wants to support the president, and the president wants him in the APC.”
After departing the Villa, Governor Yusuf refused to talk to reporters, saying simply that he “will be back.”
According to reports, the meeting lasted almost three hours. Wearing a crimson turban and white robe (babbar riga), the governor arrived to the Presidential Villa at approximately 4:10 p.m. and left just after 7 p.m.
Since late last year, there has been conjecture over Yusuf’s possible defection due to subliminal political cues indicating a reevaluation of his relationship with the federal government, which is led by the APC.
In Kano and the larger North West, where the APC lost ground in the 2023 polls, the president personally reassured Yusuf of his importance to the party’s strategic calculations, according to sources.
