Kwankwaso Reaffirms Conditions for Defection to APC
By Hajara Abdullahi
Former Kano State Governor and leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has restated his conditions for any possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This clarification follows growing speculation surrounding the alleged defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to the APC.
Kwankwaso’s stance was disclosed in a Facebook post on Wednesday by his media aide, Saifullahi Hassan. According to Hassan, the NNPP leader made the remarks at his Miller Road residence in Kano while receiving political leaders and supporters from Rano and Dawakin Tofa local government areas, alongside other members of the Kwankwasiyya movement who reaffirmed their loyalty to the NNPP.
Kwankwaso maintained that he would not join the ruling party without clear terms and understanding.
“I will not go to the APC blindly. I must be clearly informed of my role, the direction of the journey, and the fate of our plans for the common people, including the position of our supporters and the Kano State Government. That is my stand,” he said.
The former governor’s remarks come amid heightened political tension in Kano over Governor Yusuf’s alleged defection. He distanced himself from the development, emphasizing that he neither supports nor endorses the move.
“I am not party to it, and I am not in support of the purported move to defect from the party. Everyone must know this,” he added.
Earlier this week, Kwankwaso directed his loyalists serving in Governor Yusuf’s administration to align with the governor if they are asked to choose sides.
He explained that the directive was meant to protect them from undue political pressure, noting that “real politics” had not yet begun.
In September 2025, during a meeting with Hamza Buhari Bakwana, a former aide to ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, Kwankwaso revealed that his party was open to joining the APC on “strong promises.”
He recalled being among the pioneer governors who supported the merger that birthed the APC.
