Kano Assembly Supports Yusuf’s Planned Defection Warns NNPP Crisis Threatens Mandate

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The Kano State House of Assembly has publicly backed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s anticipated defection from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), cautioning that the party’s worsening leadership disputes and numerous legal battles could jeopardize his mandate.

According to the lawmakers, staying in the NNPP now poses a significant political risk—not only to the governor but to every elected official under the party’s platform in the state.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Majority Leader Lawan Hussaini said the Assembly believes the unresolved internal conflict within the NNPP could trigger a judicial disaster similar to what happened in Zamfara State in 2019.

He explained that the NNPP is currently engulfed in factional battles and multiple court cases, creating confusion over which faction holds legitimate control and who has authority to nominate candidates ahead of future elections.

Hussaini added that there is already a court judgment validating one faction of the NNPP, a development he described as a serious legal warning sign.

“There is an existing court judgment recognizing one faction of the NNPP,” he stated. “We cannot remain in the party and risk reliving the legal catastrophe that occurred in Zamfara State.”

He noted that this environment has intensified calls for Governor Yusuf and Kwankwasiyya leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to consider moving to a more stable political platform, possibly including the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Assembly Engages Yusuf and Kwankwaso

Naija News reports that Hussaini confirmed that lawmakers are already holding discussions with both the governor and Kwankwaso to ensure a unified and strategic decision regarding a timely departure from the party.

He warned that if the leadership crisis continues, courts may declare NNPP candidates invalidly nominated—even after winning elections.

Such a verdict, he said, could lead to the removal of Governor Yusuf and other NNPP officeholders by judicial order.

Hussaini drew comparisons to Zamfara’s 2019 election outcome, where the APC won nearly all elective positions but lost everything after internal disputes invalidated the party’s primaries. Days before inauguration, the Supreme Court ruled that the APC had no valid candidates and transferred victories to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including the governorship seat.

Kwankwaso Warns Defectors to Account for Past Support

Meanwhile, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has issued a strong warning to members of the Kwankwasiyya movement who have defected or plan to defect, stressing that they must acknowledge and repay the support and effort invested in them before exiting.

Addressing supporters during ongoing political consultations in Kano, Kwankwaso noted that defections rarely happen without some form of incentive.

“For someone to abandon his house and go elsewhere, it does not just happen without reason. These people, no doubt, have collected ‘goods’,” he said.

He urged defectors to remember the sacrifices made on their behalf and “pay what is due” before crossing to another political platform.

Kwankwaso also cautioned supporters against being swayed by temporary benefits, noting that many who defected in the past eventually regretted their decisions.

“Those who lost their way before—look back and see where they are today,” he said. “Many of those flaunting things now do not sleep well. It is painful to sit alone and say, ‘If I had known, I would not have made some decisions.’”

He warned that betrayal carries long-term consequences that can haunt not just individuals but their families and lineage.

NNPP Dismisses Court Order on Kano Executives

In another development, the NNPP faction loyal to Kwankwaso has dismissed an alleged ex parte order issued by a Kano State High Court reversing the dissolution of its executive committees in the state.

In a statement released in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, described the reported order as “a farce” and a misuse of judicial authority.

Johnson said the National Working Committee had not been served any court papers and therefore considered the ruling “mere street gossip.”

Reports claimed that Justice Nasiru Saminu granted an order reinstating the previously dissolved state, local government, and ward executives.

However, the party insisted that even if the order existed, it would still be invalid.

“The court lacks jurisdiction to overturn an internal decision of the party,” Johnson maintained, noting that the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that political parties’ internal affairs are not subject to judicial review.

He stressed that the dissolution of the Kano executives remains effective.

Johnson further stated that if the injunction is confirmed, the party will pursue all necessary legal actions, including petitioning the National Judicial Council against any judge who issued such “overreaching” directives.