Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on Monday met with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid intensified speculation over his planned defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dressed in his signature white northern babanriga and red Kwankwasiyya cap, Yusuf was seen arriving at the President’s office at 4:13 pm local time. He left about three hours later but declined to comment to journalists. Sources indicate he is expected to return later in the week to update the President on matters discussed during the meeting.
The meeting marks Yusuf’s first known audience with Tinubu since the President returned from Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026. The governor’s planned defection, initially expected earlier in January, has been repeatedly postponed.
According to sources, negotiations stalled because APC leadership refused to provide Yusuf a documented guarantee for an automatic gubernatorial ticket in the 2027 elections. He is also reportedly seeking the authority to nominate a minister from Kano State and replace Kano-based federal appointees with loyalists.
These demands have reportedly put Yusuf at odds with influential figures within the APC, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who is believed to be eyeing the 2027 governorship.
Videos posted on Yusuf’s official Facebook account showed him presiding over the first State Executive Council meeting of 2026 at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, last Friday.
Yusuf’s political godfather, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has publicly condemned the potential defection as a betrayal, warning of repercussions in 2027. NNPP national leader’s son, Hon. Mustapha Kwankwaso, and other loyal cabinet members have reportedly vowed to resign if Yusuf formally joins APC.
In a viral video, Kano APC chieftain Alhassan Ado Doguwa claimed that President Tinubu had directed the suspension of APC’s ongoing e-registration exercise in Kano until Yusuf formally joins the party, reportedly wanting the governor to be the first to register in the state.
Earlier, on January 5, during Yusuf’s 63rd birthday, President Tinubu lauded the governor’s achievements, highlighting infrastructural developments and grassroots initiatives in Kano. Tinubu noted the construction of bridges, road networks, and five-kilometre roads in each local government and praised the governor’s emergency declaration in education, which improved NECO exam performance.
Describing Kano as “the bastion of progressive politics in the North,” Tinubu said Yusuf’s administration embodies a commitment to grassroots development and the welfare of the Talakawas, reflecting the ideals championed by the late Mallam Aminu Kano.
Elijah Adeyemi
