By Ghazali Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has formally resigned from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), in a move that marks one of the most significant political shifts in northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Friday, Governor Yusuf announced his decision to withdraw his membership from the NNPP, with the resignation taking effect from January 25, 2026.
The announcement was communicated through his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the NNPP in Diso-Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area.
Yusuf expressed profound gratitude to the party for the platform and support it provided since he joined in 2022, noting that it played a crucial role in his political journey and his rise to the governorship.
He highlighted, however, that persistent internal crises, leadership disputes and ongoing legal battles within the party had weakened its cohesion and created divisions that could no longer be reconciled.
“After careful reflection, and without prejudice to the party’s capacity to resolve its internal challenges, I have come to the conclusion that my resignation is in the best interest of the people of Kano State,” Yusuf stated, emphasising that his decision was taken in good faith and with no ill will toward the party or its members.
The governor’s exit has not occurred in isolation. Alongside him, at least 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight federal lawmakers and 44 local government chairmen have also resigned their membership of the NNPP, according to multiple reports, a mass departure that reflects the scale of discontent within the party’s ranks.
Political analysts suggest the mass resignations could significantly weaken the NNPP’s influence in Kano, a key northern political stronghold, and make way for a potential realignment with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), though no official announcement has been made on Yusuf’s new party affiliation.
The governor’s resignation comes amid reports that members of the Kano State House of Assembly had previously endorsed his alleged move to the APC, warning that staying in the NNPP posed “grave political risks” due to unresolved legal challenges that could jeopardise elected offices.
The NNPP leadership had earlier described Yusuf’s planned defection as a “gross betrayal” and denied that party founder Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso intended to leave the party himself, signalling deep divisions between the state executive and national party leadership.
Governor Yusuf’s departure marks a pivotal moment in Kano’s political landscape, highlighting shifting alliances ahead of one of Nigeria’s most consequential election cycles in recent history.
