…Yusuf said it was aimed at ensuring inclusive governance and effective development across Kano State.
KANO, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Labour Party have sharply criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling party. The opposition parties insisted that the move would not change Nigeria’s political dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to Yusuf’s decision on Monday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, and his ADC counterpart, Bolaji Abdullahi, told The iNews Times in separate interviews that Yusuf defection represented a failure of character rather than political momentum. They argued that defections motivated by personal interest would not translate into electoral gains for the APC.
Similarly, the Interim National Chairman of a faction, Senator Nenadi Usman, cautioned against equating elite defections with grassroots support, stressing that opposition parties would remain influential as the next elections approach.
On the other hand, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, welcomed the Yusuf, describing his defection as a significant boost for the ruling party and an endorsement of its commitment to delivering democratic dividends to Nigerians.
Governor Yusuf announced his resignation from the NNPP on Friday, despite backing from a former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Yusuf decision followed weeks of speculation and escalating political tension in the state.
In recent months, several PDP governors have defected to the APC, including Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), and most recently, Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau). Numerous other political heavyweights—ranging from lawmakers and former governors to ex-ministers and party leaders—have also left the PDP for the APC.
President Bola Tinubu and other APC leaders have repeatedly dismissed claims that the ruling party seeks to impose a one-party system, insisting that the APC remains inclusive and open to all Nigerians.
Commenting on Yusuf’s resignation, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, described the move as a betrayal of Kano voters and a setback for the Kwankwasiyya Movement. He warned that politicians who sacrifice loyalty and integrity for convenience often face rejection at the polls.
In a strongly worded statement, the NNPP expressed regret over Yusuf’s decision, accusing him of betraying the trust of Kano citizens who supported him based on his longstanding loyalty to the Kwankwasiyya Movement. The party dismissed claims of an irreconcilable crisis within its ranks, noting that it recently conducted INEC-supervised congresses and won two supplementary legislative elections in August 2025.
The NNPP also drew historical parallels, recalling the 1980s defection of Alhaji Abubakar Rimi from the PRP to the NPP, which ultimately resulted in his electoral defeat and the rejection of most defectors by voters. The party urged its members and Kano residents to remain calm, confident that principled leadership would prevail.
Despite the NNPP’s objections, Yusuf is scheduled to formally join the APC today, according to his spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa. The statement noted that Yusuf was previously an APC member in 2014 and had contested the party’s primary for the Kano Central Senatorial seat before stepping aside for Kwankwaso.
Yusuf is expected to register officially with the APC alongside 22 state lawmakers, eight members of the House of Representatives, all 44 local government chairmen, and to inaugurate the party’s e-registration exercise in the state.
Describing the move as people-focused, Yusuf said it was aimed at ensuring inclusive governance and effective development across Kano State. He added that his return to the APC was driven by a desire to foster unity, strengthen political collaboration, and deliver tangible benefits to the populace.
Meanwhile, former Kano State Governor and ex-APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, who is currently in London, is expected to return to Nigeria today. A former Chief of Staff to Ganduje, Mohammed Garba, disclosed that he may travel directly to Kano to officially receive the defecting governor.
Reacting to the development, the PDP National Publicity Secretary accused Yusuf and other defecting governors of abandoning the mandate given to them by voters.
In an interview, Ememobong maintained that the APC would still suffer defeat in the 2027 elections, despite the recent wave of defections to the ruling party.
According to him, the situation exposes a deeper moral problem within the political system. He argued that elected officials are bound by a social contract with voters, a contract formed through the political party on whose platform they were elected.
“What is disturbing is that this is not how the system should function. It ignores the promises made to the electorate and raises serious moral concerns. Once you are elected on a party’s platform, abandoning it midway is morally wrong,” he said. “If you wish to run under another party, you should either wait until your tenure ends or resign and allow the party that gave you the mandate to retain it, especially when the party you are joining was a major opponent.”
He further lamented what he described as “selective amnesia” among defecting politicians, noting that after fiercely contested elections often described as political battles, some leaders simply hand over their electoral victories to the APC, which was their principal rival.
“This only highlights the moral failure of many political leaders, regardless of how some try to justify their actions,” he said, adding that such defections would not strengthen the APC ahead of 2027.
“Electoral strength is determined at the polls, not by governors switching parties. Kano, for example, remains an NNPP state until the next election. A governor’s defection does not automatically change the political identity of a state,” he noted, pointing to the 2023 electoral map as evidence that voters, not office holders, decide elections.
He described the rush of defections as a sign of political insecurity rather than strength, arguing that presidential elections are not won through coercion or political intimidation.
“The people have not defected with these governors. Nigerians who remain dissatisfied will vote the APC out in 2027. Governors who defect while holding mandates belonging to other parties cannot rescue a failing ruling party,” he added.
Similarly, the ADC Publicity Secretary argued that governors defecting to the APC were motivated by self-preservation rather than public service, insisting they would be unable to deliver their states to the party in 2027.
He said many governors believe joining the ruling party offers protection and an easier path to re-election, likening the APC to a refuge where political “sins” are forgiven. “They are not joining because they believe in the APC’s governance or because they care about the people. They are acting purely in their own interest,” he stated.
He further argued that defection does not translate into popular support, citing past elections in Delta, Edo, and Lagos, where outcomes differed from the governors’ party affiliations.
“If elections are free and fair, many of these governors will discover that their approval ratings are below 20 percent. Even within the APC, defeat awaits them due to poor performance at both state and federal levels,” he said.
On her part, the Labour Party’s Interim National Chairman said the movement of political office holders does not automatically equate to electoral dominance.
Quoting a Hausa proverb, she explained that the defection of governors should not be mistaken for the collapse of the opposition ahead of 2027. She also expressed uncertainty about the true motivations behind the defections, noting widespread speculation that politicians believe joining the APC guarantees protection from consequences.
In response, the APC Director of Publicity dismissed opposition criticisms and welcomed Yusuf and other defectors, describing the move as a return home and evidence of growing acceptance of the party’s ideology.
He said increased membership reflects confidence in the APC’s principles and commitment to strengthening democracy and delivering good governance. He also rejected claims that opposition parties could unseat the APC in 2027, describing such assertions as speculative and unrealistic.
“While wishful thinking is permitted in a free society, it does not reflect the will of the majority,” he said, adding that the idea of a coalition overthrowing the APC remains an unachievable dream.
