NNPP rejects defection talk as security presence increases around kano government house
Security has been tightened around the Kano State Government House amid growing speculation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may be planning to defect from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
On Monday, combined security operatives drawn from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) were deployed at strategic points around the main entrance to the Government House. Access to the premises was subjected to strict identification and security checks, heightening tension within and around the seat of power.
The development comes against the backdrop of persistent rumours of a political disagreement between Governor Yusuf and his long-time political mentor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the national leader of the NNPP and founder of the influential Kwankwasiyya movement.
Kwankwaso has reportedly expressed strong opposition to Yusuf’s alleged plan to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that such a move could destabilise the NNPP and weaken the Kwankwasiyya political structure in Kano and beyond. Despite the speculation, Governor Yusuf has publicly denied any rift with Kwankwaso.
The crisis has nonetheless spilled into the NNPP, exposing signs of strain within the alliance that brought Yusuf to power. In a statement issued on behalf of the party at both the state and national levels, NNPP leaders distanced themselves from any plan to defect to the APC.
The NNPP Kano State Chairman, Hashim Dungurawa, said the party was fully aware of the unfolding political developments and made it clear that neither the state chapter, the national leadership nor Senator Kwankwaso supports any defection.
Kano remains one of Nigeria’s most politically strategic states due to its large voter population. It consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of registered voters and has played a decisive role in shaping outcomes in past presidential elections. Any shift in political allegiance by a sitting governor — particularly one linked to Kwankwaso’s strong grassroots base — could significantly alter the political balance ahead of future elections.