Twenty-two members of the Kano State House of Assembly have defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the resignation of Governor Abba Yusuf from the NNPP.
The lawmakers announced their defection during a plenary session on Monday, shortly after Governor Yusuf formally left the NNPP after his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
In his resignation letter addressed to the chairman of the Diso–Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, Yusuf said his decision was due to “deepening internal crises” and “prolonged leadership disputes” within the party.
The governor defected alongside 22 state lawmakers, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen in Kano State.
Among the defectors are the Speaker of the House, Jibril Falgore (Rogo), and the Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Bello Butu Butu (Tofa/Rimin Gado).
Also leaving the NNPP are the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussain (Dala); Deputy Majority Leader, Garba Shehu Fammar (Kibiya); and the Chief Whip, Muddasir Ibrahim Zawachiki (Kumbotso).
A video of the proceedings, shared on X by user @Imranmuhdz, showed Speaker Falgore calling each member to publicly announce their defection on the floor of the House.
Announcing his decision, Rabiu Shuaibu (Dawakin Kudu) said, “I, Shuaibu Rabiu, representing Dawakin Kudu, resign my membership of the NNPP to the APC with immediate effect from today (Monday).”
Similarly, Tukur Mohammed (Fagge) declared, “Mr Speaker, I am here to confirm I am resigning my membership of the NNPP and joining the APC.”
Other lawmakers who joined the APC include Zakariyya Abdullahi Nuhu (Gabasawa), Lawal Tini (Ajingi), Musa Tahir Haruna (Albasu), Ali Lawan Alhassan (Bagwai/Shanono), Ali Muhammad Tiga (Bebeji), Hafiz Gambo (Bunkure), Murtala Muhammad Kadage (Garko), Abdulmajid Isah Umar (Gwale), Ahmad Ibrahim (Karaye), Alhassan Zakari (Kura/Garun Malam), Suleiman Mukhtar Ishaq (Madobi), Abdulhamid Abdul (Minjibir), Muhammad Ibrahim (Rano), Kabiru Sule Dahiru (Tarauni), and Ali Abdullahi Manager (Wudil).
Reacting to Governor Yusuf’s defection, the national leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, described the development as a betrayal and declared January 23 as “World Betrayal Day.”
Kwankwaso had played a key role in Yusuf’s emergence as governor during the 2023 elections through the Kwankwasiyya political movement.
Elijah Adeyemi
