The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will further tighten its grip on Nigeria’s shifting political landscape today, with the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, expected to formally defect to the party, while the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, will, barring unforeseen circumstances, be received by the national leadership of the party Tuesday (tomorrow).
Characterised by insiders as a ‘carefully sequenced consolidation’ drive by the APC, the development is coming amid fresh disclosures on how the APC capitalised on internal tensions within Rabiu Kwankwaso’s New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to draw the Kano governor into its fold.
In the same vein, a top party chief yesterday moved to allay fears of an impending impeachment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, telling THISDAY that the “process will not move forward because the party had intervened behind the scene”.
In Kano, the governor’s defection, it was learnt, was the culmination of prolonged discontent within the NNPP, where sources said he had become politically constrained by the overwhelming influence of his party’s national leader and political godfather, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Despite occupying the state’s highest executive office, the governor was said to have had limited control over key appointments, with local government chairmen, commissioners and senior aides largely dictated by other interests, mainly those championed by the party leader, Kwankwaso.
This imbalance, insiders said, fed into growing anxiety over his political future, particularly the absence of any clear assurance of securing the NNPP ticket for a second term. It was this vulnerability that the APC quietly exploited, THISDAY was told, offering the governor a platform that promised greater autonomy, alignment with the federal government and a more predictable pathway ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
THISDAY gathered that behind the governor’s movement to APC were months of deepening internal strain within the NNPP, driven largely by the aforesaid power imbalances that left the governor increasingly isolated and uncertain about his political future.
Multiple sources familiar with the developments said that while Yusuf held executive power as governor, key political decisions were tightly controlled by forces from outside the Government House.
Kwankwaso’s dominance reportedly extended to the appointment of virtually all local government chairmen, councillors, commissioners, special advisers and senior aides, limiting Yusuf’s influence over his own administration.
Insiders said the arrangement steadily eroded the governor’s room to make key decisions, creating friction within the state executive council and frustration among allies who felt sidelined despite holding elective or appointive offices.
As these tensions persisted, uncertainty grew over Yusuf’s chances of securing the NNPP ticket for a second term. THISDAY was told that there were no firm assurances from the party leadership under the stranglehold of Kwankwaso of a second term for Yusuf, his political godson.
It was this uncertainty that the APC quietly capitalise on, as senior party figures began sustained engagement with Yusuf’s inner circle, presenting the ruling party as a platform that could guarantee political stability, internal autonomy and a clearer pathway to a second term According to sources, assurances were given that Yusuf would be treated as a party leader in Kano, rather than a subordinate figure, unlike the way the NNPP leadership was treating him.
But with the APC machine voraciously on the move, barely hours after the Kano defection, attention is expected to shift to Plateau State, where Mutfwang will formally be received into the party on Tuesday, effectively making him the 30th governor of the APC.
Party sources said his formal reception by the APC top echelon would mark the end of months of speculation and signal a strategic recalibration aimed at purportedly strengthening Plateau’s access to federal support, especially in security and infrastructure.
The near-simultaneous moves have reinforced perceptions of a deliberate APC strategy to absorb sitting governors facing internal pressures within opposition parties, thereby expanding its influence across key regions.
Besides, seeking to dampen political tension elsewhere, a senior APC chieftain yesterday dismissed reports of a plot to impeach Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The party leader insisted that the APC’s priority in Rivers remains stability rather than institutional confrontation, especially the one championed by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Back to the drama in Kano, Yusuf is set to rejoin the APC today, Monday, January 26, 2026, following his resignation from the NNPP last Friday. The governor is also expected to officially launch the APC e-registration exercise in the state.
A statement signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa yesterday described the APC platform as a familiar one.
The statement recalled that Yusuf first joined the APC in 2014 when he won the party’s primary election for the Kano Central Senatorial seat, a position he later conceded to Kwankwaso.
It noted that after years of political engagement across different platforms, including his most recent stint in the NNPP, prevailing realities of governance, national cohesion and development necessitated his return to the APC, which he described as a familiar and structured platform for progressive governance.
Yusuf stated that rejoining the APC would further strengthen cooperation with the federal government, accelerate infrastructural development, enhance security coordination and improve service delivery across Kano State.
He added that the decision would also consolidate political stability and unity in the state.
Besides, the governor will formally register as a member of the APC in Kano alongside 22 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives and the 44 Local Government Chairmen.
Also supporters of the NNPP national leader, unfazed by the goings-on, have rallied in Kano in support of the former Kano governor. Kwankwaso disclosed this on his social media handles on Sunday.
“This afternoon, I was honoured to receive a solidarity visit at my residence in Kano from the resilient people of Nasarawa Local Government.
“In our discussions, I reaffirmed my profound appreciation for their unwavering courage and determination. Despite the recent trials that have tested the faith and fortitude of many, they have chosen to stand firmly with us—not for personal gain, but for the collective progress and wellbeing of our people.
“Together, we remain resolute in upholding and advancing the timeless ideals of Kwankwasiyya. Thank you once again for your loyalty and solidarity. The journey continues, and victory is assured by the grace of God and the will of the people,” Kwankwaso stated.
In a related development, a top APC chief has dismissed speculation over a possible impeachment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, insisting that the APC remains more focused on stabilising governance in Rivers than pursuing confrontational tactics.
“The plan to impeach Governor Fubara is dead on arrival. It’s only on paper. Those pushing that narrative are doing so for political reasons. The APC is interested in stability in Rivers State, not crisis,” the chieftain said.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Dr. Yusuf Kofar-Mata, has resigned his appointment, accusing Yusuf of abandoning the political ideology that brought the administration to power following his recent defection.
Kofar-Mata, a staunch loyalist of the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kwankwaso, said he could no longer in good conscience serve in a government he believes has betrayed the platform on which it was elected.
“I wish to categorically state that I hereby resign my appointment as Commissioner and member of the Kano State Executive Council. I took this decision in good faith, as I cannot continue to work under a government that has strayed from the ideology that brought it to power,” he said in a statement.
He described the development as a painful political departure, rooted in principle rather than personal interest, and reaffirmed his loyalty to Kwankwaso and the NNPP political philosophy.
Emmanuel Addeh and Ahmad Sorondinki
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