Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has formally returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring his defection on Monday, January 26, 2026, at the Coronation Hall, Kano Government House.
The event was attended by prominent figures including former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, the Senator of Kano South, and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, among others.
Governor Yusuf emphasized that his return is motivated by a desire to work closely with the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership.
During the ceremony, Senator Barau Jibrin publicly endorsed Governor Yusuf’s second-term ambition by raising his hand in support.
The move comes shortly after Governor Yusuf resigned from the NNPP on Friday, January 23, citing the party’s protracted internal crises and legal disputes, which he claimed had weakened its cohesion nationwide.
Massive Defection to APC
Governor Yusuf’s defection was accompanied by a significant bloc of political figures from Kano State, including:
21 state lawmakers
8 members of the House of Representatives
All 44 local government chairmen
Notable defectors include:
Speaker of the House: Jibril Ismail Falgore (Rogo)
Deputy Speaker: Muhammad Bello Butu Butu (Tofa/Rimin Gado)
Majority Leader: Lawan Hussain (Dala)
Deputy Majority Leader: Garba Shehu Fammar (Kibiya)
Chief Whip: Muddasir Ibrahim Zawachiki (Kumbotso)
Other lawmakers joining APC: Zakariyya Abdullahi Nuhu (Gabasawa), Lawal Tini (Ajingi), Musa Tahir Haruna (Albasu), Ali Lawan Alhassan (Bagwai/Shanono), Ali Muhammad Tiga (Bebeji), Hafiz Gambo (Bunkure), Rabiu Shuaibu (Dawakin Kudu), Tukur Mohammed (Fagge), Murtala Muhammad Kadage (Garko), Abdulmajid Isah Umar (Gwale), Ahmad Ibrahim (Karaye), Alhassan Zakari (Kura/Garun Malam), Suleiman Mukhtar Ishaq (Madobi), Abdulhamid Abdul (Minjibir), Muhammad Ibrahim (Rano), Kabiru Sule Dahiru (Tarauni), and Ali Abdullahi Manager (Wudil).
Reaction from NNPP
The NNPP National Leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, described Governor Yusuf’s defection as a betrayal, declaring January 23 as “World Betrayal Day”. Kwankwaso had played a pivotal role in Yusuf’s 2023 gubernatorial victory under the Kwankwasiyya movement.
The defection is expected to reshape Kano politics and could influence strategies for the 2027 elections.
