![Popular Small-Size Actress Aunty Ajara Dies After Liver Illness [VIDEO]](https://thepunchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20241109_125042-75x75.jpg)
Former presidential candidate and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed confidence that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his allies will eventually regret leaving the party.
Governor Yusuf’s Defection
Kwankwaso said Governor Yusuf’s exit from the NNPP took many by surprise, including himself.
“Many people I spoke to felt it was some kind of arrangement—between him and me, or between him and others. Even I often find it hard to believe that things are unfolding the way they are,” Kwankwaso said.
Governor Yusuf officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday, January 26, 2026, after resigning from the NNPP on Friday, January 23, 2026, less than three years after winning the Kano governorship on the NNPP platform.
At the defection event, Governor Yusuf said his decision was based on his assessment of Nigerian politics and the need to align with a path he believes would bring development to Kano State. He added that he consulted political associates and other stakeholders before making the move.
Kwankwaso Responds
In his first media interview since Yusuf’s departure, Kwankwaso told the BBC he was deeply disappointed that the governor “handed over the mandate of NNPP members and the people of Kano to the Gandujiyya political camp” without strong justification.
“When I lie down, I reflect and ask myself: what really happened? Who was at fault? Was it me? Was it the party? Were party members at fault? But I have not been able to find an answer,” Kwankwaso said.
He added that all the reasons Yusuf gave for leaving—either directly or through intermediaries—were issues that could have been resolved through dialogue and cooperation.
Kwankwaso also dismissed claims of internal crisis within the NNPP, insisting that no political party is completely free of grievances:
“I can assure you, to the best of my knowledge, there is no party more peaceful and stable than the NNPP. If there is any, let them hold their national convention and candidate selection processes, then you will see disputes,” he said.
Allegiance and Political Ideology
Commenting on those who left the NNPP but still claim allegiance to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, Kwankwaso described the situation as a clear choice between light and darkness:
“Light and darkness have already been defined in Kano. If you want to practice Kwankwasiyya, who asked you to leave Kwankwasiyya? Stay where Kwankwasiyya is and practice it there,” he said.
He also criticized the way former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje received Yusuf into the APC:
“If Ganduje truly had the power to raise someone’s hand to victory, he would have done so in 2019 or 2023. The public display is a clear indication that he has already lost the election.”
Kwankwaso warned that Yusuf and his associates would face serious political challenges in the APC and predicted that, “even if he does not return, he will regret it.”
The Future of Kwankwasiyya
Kwankwaso emphasized that Kano still belongs to the NNPP, noting that efforts are already underway to build alliances to “rescue Nigeria from its current situation.”
He remains one of the most influential politicians in northern Nigeria, particularly among young people. Observers note that since the era of Malam Aminu Kano, no other northern politician has successfully built a named political ideology with such a loyal mass following.
Kwankwaso’s followers, known for wearing red caps, remain committed to the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Historical Context
After completing his tenure as governor, Kwankwaso initially supported his deputy, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as his successor. However, the two soon fell out, leading Kwankwaso to field Abba Kabir Yusuf against Ganduje in the 2019 governorship election, which Yusuf lost after a controversial supplementary poll in Gama Local Government Area.
Kwankwaso later sponsored Yusuf again in the subsequent election, where Yusuf defeated Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Ganduje’s candidate, to become Kano State governor.
