Negotiations surrounding the planned defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have stalled, following the ruling party’s refusal to guarantee him an automatic governorship ticket for the 2027 election.
Investigations by THISDAY revealed that Governor Yusuf’s insistence on a written assurance for the APC’s 2027 ticket formed a key condition for his proposed defection, a demand the party’s national leadership has so far declined to accept.
Sources familiar with the talks disclosed that the unresolved demand has continued to generate anxiety within the governor’s camp, leading to repeated postponements of the anticipated defection, despite ongoing high-level consultations.
While Governor Yusuf was in Abuja on Saturday holding closed-door meetings with APC national leaders, the Kano State chapter of the party insisted that the governor would join the APC “at the right time,” and denied holding any discussions with him over an automatic ticket.
The governor’s planned defection has dominated political discourse in Kano for weeks. However, his conditions are said to have clashed with the political ambitions of key APC stakeholders in the state, including Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who is widely believed to be nursing a governorship ambition ahead of 2027.
A source close to the former governor of Kano State and immediate past APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, told THISDAY late Sunday that the ruling party was unwilling to sacrifice the aspirations of its national leaders to accommodate Yusuf’s demands.
“Apart from a documented assurance of an automatic ticket, the governor is also demanding the right to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council, and to nominate his loyalists for other federal appointments, including positions currently occupied by APC members from the state.
“Some governors from other political parties have defected to the APC, but they did not give the type of conditions that the Kano State governor is demanding. However, the negotiation is still ongoing,” the source explained.
The source further confirmed that Senator Barau Jibrin remains a serious contender in the 2027 governorship race.
According to him, the APC leadership is insisting that Governor Yusuf and other interested aspirants must participate in the party’s governorship primaries.
THISDAY also gathered that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, did not make similar demands when engaging the APC.
Within Kano APC, Senator Jibrin and former Governor Ganduje are understood to command significant political influence and grassroots structures.
Meanwhile, the governor’s deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has reportedly vowed to remain in the NNPP, a stance that insiders say could trigger internal tension and even impeachment threats should Yusuf eventually defect.
Fresh indications that the governor’s defection is yet to be finalised emerged on Friday when Yusuf convened the first State Executive Council meeting of 2026 in Abuja, appearing publicly in his trademark Kwankwasiyya red cap while prominently displaying the NNPP flag.
Kwankwasiyya is the political movement led by the NNPP’s national leader and former Kano governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who has since described Yusuf’s planned defection as an act of betrayal.
Kwankwaso, however, has not ruled out his own defection to the APC, but insisted that any move must be backed by firm guarantees.
In a video shared on Facebook by his aide, Saifullahi Hassan, Kwankwaso, speaking in Hausa last Wednesday, stressed that he would not defect without a binding agreement covering his political role, the future of his supporters, and the interests of Kano State.
“I have never been opposed to moving to the APC. However, I always set conditions before leaving where I am or joining a new platform. I cannot simply join them without a solid agreement on the ground,” he said.
Governor Yusuf’s appearance at the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Abuja, clad in NNPP colours, further dampened expectations of an imminent public defection.
The meeting, attended by the deputy governor and all commissioners, marked the council’s 37th sitting since the administration’s inception and was held at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
At the meeting, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to good governance.
Kwankwaso had earlier declared that he would only defect to a political party willing to offer him either the presidential or vice-presidential ticket in the 2027 general election.
APC: Yusuf Will Join Us at the Right Time
Amid the speculation, the Kano State chapter of the APC reiterated that Governor Yusuf was on his way to joining the party and denied reports that he had demanded an automatic governorship ticket.
Speaking in a telephone interview with THISDAY in Kano, the party’s secretary, Alhaji Zakari Sarina, dismissed the reports as baseless.
“Our party expresses disappointment at the spread of false information, which doesn’t hold water. There was never a time the party in Kano held any discussion with the state governor, let alone denying him our ticket,” Sarina said.
“We are welcoming the governor at any given time, sooner rather than later. Our doors are always open, and it’s just a matter of a few days; so, why are people rushing and speculating?” he queried.
Sarina attributed the rumours to “enemies of Kano” seeking to undermine the relationship between the APC and the governor, stressing that the party would not be distracted from its development agenda.
He urged residents to ignore the speculation and focus on the issues affecting the state, assuring party supporters that the APC was working toward a smooth process and calling for patience.
The denial comes amid reports that the APC held several meetings with the governor, during which he allegedly requested a written guarantee of the party’s 2027 governorship ticket.
Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that Yusuf also met privately on Saturday in Abuja with former Governor Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin to discuss his possible defection.
The source added that Vice President Kashim Shettima was closely monitoring the developments, while President Bola Tinubu was expected to receive a final briefing on the matter.
