BREAKING: Kano Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf Dumps NNPP, Triggers Mass Defection
By Kola Oladeji
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has formally resigned his membership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in a move widely described as one of the most significant political defections since the 2023 general elections.
Yusuf’s resignation takes effect from Friday, January 23, 2026, and was conveyed in a letter addressed to the chairman of Diso–Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, his ward of registration. The decision has reportedly sparked a wave of defections by elected officials and party members across Kano State.
According to the governor, his exit from the NNPP was necessitated by prolonged internal disputes and unresolved leadership crises that have weakened the party’s cohesion at both the state and national levels.
The development was confirmed by the governor’s spokesperson and Director-General of Media and Publicity, Sunusi Tofa, who said the decision followed weeks of wide-ranging consultations and careful reflection.
In his resignation letter, Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation to the NNPP for the platform it provided during the 2023 general elections, which facilitated his emergence as governor. However, he noted that the party’s persistent internal instability had increasingly become an obstacle to effective governance and political coordination.
“In recent times, the party has been confronted with persistent internal challenges arising from leadership disagreements and ongoing legal processes, many of which are presently before the courts for judicial determination,” the letter read.
He explained that what initially appeared as manageable internal disagreements had grown into deep-rooted structural divisions, leaving many party members disenfranchised and uncertain about the party’s future.
“The growing disenfranchisement among party members has created deep divisions within the party structure, resulting in cracks that appear increasingly irreconcilable and have generated uncertainty at both state and national levels,” Yusuf stated.
The governor emphasized that his decision to leave the NNPP was taken in good faith and in the overall interest of Kano State, stressing that it was not borne out of bitterness or personal grievances.
Political observers say the defection is likely to reshape the political landscape in Kano and beyond, as attention now shifts to Governor Yusuf’s next political destination and the broader implications for party alignments ahead of future elections.
