By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Former Kano State Governor and national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf will lose the 2027 governorship election following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso made the assertion on Thursday during an interview with BBC Hausa, where he described Yusuf’s defection as a betrayal of the Kwankwasiyya political movement and warned that aligning with the APC faction popularly known in Kano as “Gandujiyya” led by former governor of Kano State and former National Chairman of the APC, Umar Ganduje, would weaken the governor’s political standing.
According to Kwankwaso, Yusuf’s decision to join the APC marked one of the most painful political betrayals he had ever witnessed. He said he deliberately left Kano for Lagos upon learning of the planned defection to allow the event to take place without his presence.
“I saw that he defected to the APC on Tuesday, which was why I left Kano for Lagos to allow them to conduct their event. This is the worst betrayal I have witnessed in my life,” Kwankwaso said.
The former governor said he was particularly unsettled by images from the defection ceremony showing former Kano State Governor and APC national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, publicly raising Yusuf’s hand. He described the gesture as a negative political signal and a sign of impending electoral defeat.
“When I saw Ganduje raising Abba’s hand, I knew automatically that Abba would not win any election,” Kwankwaso stated. “People of Kano don’t support Gandujiyya. Ganduje lost the 2019 election, and his candidate also lost in 2023. So, Abba will not win in 2027.”
Kwankwaso further argued that Yusuf’s alliance with the Gandujiyya political bloc was fundamentally incompatible with the ideology and structure of the Kwankwasiyya movement, which he said remains deeply rooted in Kano politics.
“Gandujiyya and Kwankwasiyya are like darkness and light. They cannot stay under the same umbrella. There is no connection between us again,” he said.
He added that the governor’s decision to dump the NNPP came as a shock to party members and supporters across the state, noting that many believed the move had been carefully planned long before it became public.
“What happened in Kano is deeply frustrating. Many people believe it was a pre-arranged plan. Even when I wake up from sleep, I keep asking myself why he did this,” Kwankwaso said.
The NNPP leader dismissed claims by Yusuf and his supporters that internal crises within the party necessitated the defection. He insisted that the NNPP remains stable and united, arguing that disagreements or leadership changes do not amount to a party crisis.
“The governor claimed there were conflicts within the NNPP. But in my view, the party is in perfect health. Losing a member or removing an official does not create any problem,” he said.
Reaffirming his confidence in the Kwankwasiyya movement, Kwankwaso said the NNPP continues to enjoy widespread support among the people of Kano and remains the dominant political force in the state.
“The people of Kano sympathise with the Kwankwasiyya movement. Kano remains in the hands of the NNPP, and Abba’s defection will not change our mission,” he added.
