Nigeria’s political landscape shifted on Monday as Vice President Kashim Shettima stood before a jubilant crowd in Kano to formally receive Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf into the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as more than a defection, but a return to national relevance for one of Nigeria’s most influential states.

In a speech laced with emotion and symbolism, Shettima portrayed Kano as a defining force in Nigeria’s identity and direction.

“Whenever Kano talks, the nation walks with him,” the Vice President declared, framing the governor’s switch as a moment of national consequence rather than routine politics.

He called Kano “an elegant expression of Nigeria’s cosmopolitan soul,” adding that the state “welcomes every Nigerian, absorbs every accent, accommodates every ambition, and turns diversity into destiny.”

Highlighting Kano’s historic footprint in scholarship, commerce, politics and faith, Shettima said, “Kano has consistently welcomed Nigeria more than it has ever demanded in return,” insisting that “Kano is too big to play in the periphery.”

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National Chairman of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, described Yusuf’s return as a homecoming, calling the ruling party his “natural political home.”

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Yilwatda urged party leaders in Kano to close ranks and avoid internal divisions.

He reaffirmed the party’s 60/40 leadership-sharing formula between new entrants and existing APC members, a move aimed at calming potential tensions within the state chapter.

The chairman praised the scale of the reception ceremony, calling it evidence of the party’s enduring grassroots strength in Kano.

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He also commended prominent party figures, including Yusuf Gawuna, Barau Jibrin, and former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for backing what he described as a unifying political project.

For Governor Yusuf, the decision to leave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was framed as pragmatic rather than ideological.

He said the former platform had become weighed down by “distractions and uncertainty,” limiting the state’s ability to focus on development.

“We’re not interested in endless political battles. Our people want better roads, infrastructure, jobs, security, and a government focused on delivery,” Yusuf said.

Explaining the calculus behind the switch, he stated that joining the APC would better position Kano to align with federal authorities and tap into national opportunities.

Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Yusuf noted, “the country is undergoing reforms that require states that are serious about governance, implementation and results to be part and parcel of the agenda of the president.”

“I must therefore, said we have to be part of that process, not on the margins but on the table,” he added.

Reaffirming his “Kano First Government philosophy,” Yusuf assured residents that the party switch would not dilute his commitment to fairness, service delivery, and inclusive governance.

With federal backing and party consolidation now in place, Yusuf expressed confidence that Kano State is poised to “move forward confidently”, positioning the political realignment as both strategic and developmental rather than merely partisan.