Gov Yusuf’s Planned Defection to APC Shifted to January 12

Plans for Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to leave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been pushed back by one week.

The move, initially expected to take place on Monday, January 5, 2026, is now scheduled for January 12.

Those familiar with the development said the delay is intended to give the governor more time to hold consultations with Kano-based federal lawmakers and other influential political actors who have yet to fully sign on to the decision.

Within the state, there are indications that momentum is building behind Yusuf’s planned switch. Members of the Kano State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Jibril Isma’il Falgore, are said to be working in tandem with most local government chairmen, many of whom have already signaled their support by endorsing the defection document.

READ ALSO: NNPP Rejects Claims that Kwankwaso Supported Defection of Gov Yusuf to APC

The anticipated move is widely seen as part of a larger political strategy to reposition Governor Yusuf within the APC hierarchy in Kano and strengthen his prospects of clinching the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, the plan has reportedly strained Yusuf’s long-standing relationship with his political mentor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s national leader.

Kwankwaso is believed to be weighing a possible move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and is said to be unhappy with Yusuf’s decision.

The NNPP leader has previously warned that disloyalty to the Kwankwasiyya Movement would attract consequences.

Tensions between both camps have intensified in recent weeks, reaching a peak with the removal of Kano NNPP Chairman Hashimu Dungurawa, a known Kwankwaso ally.

In a bid to tighten his control over the party’s state structure, Governor Yusuf approved the appointment of Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya as acting chairman.

The NNPP national headquarters, however, has rejected the change, declaring it invalid.

Meanwhile, the APC is treating Yusuf’s anticipated defection as a major political boost. Senior party figures are reportedly overseeing the process.

Under the original plan, Vice President Kashim Shettima was expected to formally receive the governor in Abuja before the timetable was adjusted.

Yusuf’s eventual move to the APC is expected to have far-reaching consequences.

It would deprive the NNPP of its only sitting governor, significantly weakening the party’s national standing, while further consolidating APC’s influence in Kano State and improving President Bola Tinubu’s electoral outlook ahead of 2027.

The looming defection is already reshaping internal dynamics within the APC itself.

Power blocs within the Kano chapter of the party are reportedly repositioning, as President Tinubu has directed former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other leaders to accommodate Yusuf and prioritise party unity.

Ganduje and the state APC chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, have publicly encouraged the governor to join the ruling party.

Political analysts believe Yusuf’s entry into the APC could also alter succession calculations, particularly affecting the ambitions of Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who has been linked to governorship aspirations in 2027.

This shifting equation is expected to influence negotiations, alliances and voter alignments as Kano’s political landscape continues to evolve.