The All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it is still willing to welcome former New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, into its ranks, following the recent defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, to the ruling party.
Gossip News Now reports that the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, made this known during an interview on Trust TV on Sunday.
Yilwatda said the party remains receptive to Kwankwaso’s entry, noting that although no formal discussions are currently underway, the APC would gladly receive him if he decides to join.
“Our doors remain open for Kwankwaso to come into the APC. If he chooses to join, he will be warmly welcomed. However, there are no negotiations with him at the moment,” Yilwatda said.
His remarks followed the defection of Governor Abba Yusuf to the APC on Friday, a major political shift that also involved several members of the Kano State House of Assembly.
The development represents a significant blow to the NNPP, which secured victory in Kano State during the 2023 general elections largely due to Kwankwaso’s influence as a former governor and the party’s national leader.
Reacting to Yusuf’s defection, Kwankwaso expressed strong disappointment, admitting that the move took him—and many Nigerians—by surprise.
“Honestly, it came as a huge shock, not just to me, but to many Nigerians.
“Even now, it still feels unreal. Sometimes I lie down and feel like it was all a dream. The manner in which it happened left many people confused,” Kwankwaso said.
Kwankwaso played a key role in Yusuf’s emergence as governor in the 2023 elections, making the defection both politically significant and emotionally charged.
