The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has warned that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, will ultimately face the consequences of what it described as a betrayal of the party.
Governor Yusuf formally exited the NNPP on Friday, citing what he claimed was a deep-rooted crisis within the party that could no longer be resolved. His defection came alongside several members of the House of Representatives and the Kano State House of Assembly.
The move followed calls by the Kano State chapter of the NNPP for the governor to officially resign his membership before joining the All Progressives Congress (APC). Yusuf’s decision reportedly came after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to the development, the NNPP, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, faulted the governor’s claim that the party was in an irreparable state.
The party described Yusuf’s assertion as unfounded and an afterthought, pointing out that the NNPP recently conducted congresses across all levels—from wards to the national convention held on December 20, 2025. It noted that the governor was present at these exercises, which were supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The NNPP also recalled that it successfully participated in and won two supplementary elections in August 2025 in the Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa constituencies.
Expressing disappointment, the party said it was saddened by Yusuf’s resignation, noting that he was trusted by the people of Kano State due to his long-standing loyalty and service to the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
According to the statement, the governor’s defection could pave the way for political forces that had long opposed the state’s progress and aspirations.
The party drew parallels with past political events in Kano, recalling how former governor Abubakar Rimi left the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) for the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) in the early 1980s, taking along a large number of elected officials. In the 1983 governorship election, Rimi was defeated by PRP candidate Mallam Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo, while nearly all defecting lawmakers lost their seats.
The NNPP said this historical precedent should serve as a cautionary lesson to politicians contemplating defection.
Calling for calm, the party urged the over one million voters who supported Yusuf’s election, as well as residents of Kano State and Nigerians at large, to remain patient and composed.
The statement concluded by warning that politicians who abandon loyalty and principle for convenience rarely escape public judgment, stressing that truth endures and that the people of Kano will ultimately stand with leaders who uphold integrity and consistency.