Kano Power Struggle Intensifies
Kano State has emerged as the centre of an escalating political storm as tensions grow between loyalists of NNPP leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and supporters of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf over plans that could redraw the state’s political landscape ahead of 2027.
The disagreement is linked to reports that the governor is considering a switch to the APC following months of internal turmoil within the party.
The crisis can be traced to internal disputes within the NNPP over control, leadership and identity, including a controversial alteration of the party’s logo that triggered legal battles and deepened distrust.
These disagreements have weakened party cohesion and created uncertainty about its future in Kano, the only state currently under its control.
Governor Yusuf’s camp, which reportedly includes the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the majority of lawmakers, commissioners, local government chairmen and political appointees, is said to be weighing defection as a means of ensuring political stability and safeguarding re-election prospects.
This plan has angered the Kwankwaso camp, which sees it as a betrayal of the movement that brought the party to power.
Kwankwaso’s allies, including the deputy governor, the party’s only senator and key party officials, have rejected the defection proposal and called for continued loyalty to the NNPP.
The standoff has been made worse by court rulings and counter-rulings over party leadership in Kano, leaving the party structure divided and uncertain.
As the split deepens, analysts say the APC could benefit from the crisis, even though the party already has strong contenders targeting the governorship.
With alliances shifting and loyalties under pressure, Kano’s political future now depends on negotiations, court decisions and whether reconciliation within the NNPP remains possible.
