Kwankwaso said the governor’s departure came as a major surprise, noting that many people initially believed it was part of a hidden political arrangement. He admitted that even he found it difficult to fully grasp how events unfolded.
According to him, Governor Yusuf formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, January 26, 2026, after announcing his resignation from the NNPP a few days earlier. The move came less than three years after Yusuf won the Kano governorship election on the NNPP platform.
At the event marking his defection, the governor explained that his decision was based on his evaluation of Nigeria’s political direction and what he believed would best serve Kano State. He said he consulted widely with political associates and stakeholders before making the move.
However, Kwankwaso said he was deeply disappointed by the decision, describing it as a betrayal of the mandate given by NNPP members and the people of Kano. He questioned the justification for transferring that mandate to a rival political camp.
He explained that he had spent time reflecting on whether the fault lay with himself, the party, or its members, but said he could not identify any issue serious enough to warrant the governor’s exit.
Kwankwaso maintained that the concerns cited by Yusuf could have been resolved through dialogue, insisting that the NNPP remains one of the most stable and peaceful political parties in the country. He dismissed claims of an internal crisis, arguing that genuine instability only becomes evident during national conventions and candidate selection processes.
Addressing individuals who have left the NNPP but still claim loyalty to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, Kwankwaso said political choices had now become clearly defined. He argued that those who truly believe in the movement should remain within the party rather than pursue it elsewhere.
He also criticised the manner in which former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje publicly welcomed Yusuf into the APC, describing the display as evidence that the governor had already suffered a political setback.
Kwankwaso further argued that if Ganduje had the political influence being suggested, he would have secured victories for his preferred candidates in previous elections.
He concluded by stating that Yusuf and his associates would face significant political difficulties within the APC and insisted that, regardless of whether the governor eventually returns to the NNPP, he would come to regret the decision.
Kwankwaso had previously backed Yusuf in elections, including the contest in which Yusuf defeated Ganduje’s preferred candidate to become Kano State governor.
However, Kwankwaso said he was deeply disappointed by the decision, describing it as a betrayal of the mandate given by NNPP members and the people of Kano. He questioned the justification for transferring that mandate to a rival political camp.
He explained that he had spent time reflecting on whether the fault lay with himself, the party, or its members, but said he could not identify any issue serious enough to warrant the governor’s exit.
Kwankwaso maintained that the concerns cited by Yusuf could have been resolved through dialogue, insisting that the NNPP remains one of the most stable and peaceful political parties in the country. He dismissed claims of an internal crisis, arguing that genuine instability only becomes evident during national conventions and candidate selection processes.
Addressing individuals who have left the NNPP but still claim loyalty to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, Kwankwaso said political choices had now become clearly defined. He argued that those who truly believe in the movement should remain within the party rather than pursue it elsewhere.
He also criticised the manner in which former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje publicly welcomed Yusuf into the APC, describing the display as evidence that the governor had already suffered a political setback.
Kwankwaso further argued that if Ganduje had the political influence being suggested, he would have secured victories for his preferred candidates in previous elections.
He concluded by stating that Yusuf and his associates would face significant political difficulties within the APC and insisted that, regardless of whether the governor eventually returns to the NNPP, he would come to regret the decision.
Kwankwaso had previously backed Yusuf in elections, including the contest in which Yusuf defeated Ganduje’s preferred candidate to become Kano State governor.
