Abba Yusuf Joined APC Out of Worry of Shedding 2027 Election – Kano Chieftain Reveals
A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Social gathering (NNPP) has alleged that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) out of worry of shedding the 2027 common election.
The NNPP mentioned the governor’s transfer was based mostly on private political survival and never on the curiosity of the individuals of Kano State.
The occasion warned that the defection has created a significant political break inside Kano politics forward of the following election cycle.
Talking throughout an interview on Tuesday, the Secretary of the NNPP Board of Trustees, Engineer Buba Galadima, described Yusuf’s determination as a betrayal of the political household that introduced him to energy.
He mentioned the governor’s alliance with former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, was painful and unacceptable, contemplating Ganduje’s long-standing rivalry with NNPP chief, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“His personal private curiosity — private, private, private,” Galadima mentioned whereas reacting to the defection.
“Not Kano individuals. Not peace in Kano. He wished us to swallow it, however we are able to neither take any of the above.”
Galadima defined that the NNPP would have reacted otherwise if Yusuf had joined one other political occasion.
“Had Governor Yusuf moved from NNPP to a different platform aside from APC, I might have mentioned he moved nicely,” he mentioned.
“However on this case, it is just a matter of survival.”
He described the event as a historic betrayal and mentioned the NNPP management felt deeply harm by the governor’s motion.
“If I might shed tears over something, this touched me past expression,” Galadima mentioned.
“I don’t give in to sentiment simply, however this reduce deep.”
Galadima recalled the sacrifices made by NNPP leaders to make sure Yusuf emerged as governor.
“There’s nothing underneath the solar we didn’t do for Abba Kabir Yusuf to prevail — and he did prevail,” he mentioned.
“For 3 days, Kwankwaso and I didn’t sleep. We travelled, we struggled, we put all the pieces on the road.”
He additional acknowledged that former President Muhammadu Buhari performed a job in Yusuf’s eventual victory after the authorized battles that adopted the 2023 election.
“The person who took our victory in 2019 and gave it to Ganduje later stood agency and mentioned, ‘This boy received his election. Give him his victory,’” Galadima mentioned.
“Abba Kabir Yusuf was made governor by the courts and thru Buhari. God was at work.”
Based on Galadima, Yusuf deserted the political values that when sustained him.
“He left what he trusted earlier than and put his religion in human beings,” he mentioned.
“He believed that even when he received once more, APC would nonetheless take it, so why not be part of them?”
Reacting to claims that the governor had freed himself from Kwankwaso’s affect, Galadima rejected the argument.
“Three months into his tenure, he deserted Kwankwaso,” he mentioned.
“However publicly, he nonetheless handled him like a king. What occurs behind closed doorways is totally different.”
He disclosed that the NNPP selected to stay silent till Yusuf publicly introduced his defection.
“We determined to maintain quiet in order that he would use his personal mouth to say he was leaving us,” Galadima mentioned.
“At the moment, we now have the sympathy of the individuals of Kano.”
Galadima claimed that the governor had misplaced the help of atypical residents within the state.
“If at the moment there’s a free and honest election, Abba Kabir Yusuf can’t get 5 per cent of the votes of Kano individuals,” he mentioned.
He additionally described Yusuf’s public look alongside Ganduje and different APC leaders as painful.
“All of them — Ganduje, Bado Jibril, others — have been merchandise of Kwankwaso’s political faculty,” Galadima mentioned.
“Seeing them elevate Abba’s hand is bitter.”
He alleged that the defection was motivated by hostility towards Kwankwaso’s reputation among the many plenty.
“They felt Kwankwaso was too accepted by the atypical individuals,” Galadima mentioned.
“They thought they might destroy him. They can’t.”
Galadima additionally reacted to Yusuf’s remark about ending “blind loyalty,” insisting it was not focused at Kwankwaso.
“That message was not for Kwankwaso,” he mentioned.
“It was for his new masters — Tinubu and Ganduje — to say he is not going to present blind loyalty to them both.”
On Yusuf’s loyalty to NNPP, Galadima questioned whether or not the governor was ever dedicated to the occasion.
“I don’t suppose he was ever NNPP,” he mentioned.
“He was solely a beneficiary of the NNPP.”
He additional alleged that Yusuf had been working within the curiosity of the APC even whereas serving as an NNPP governor.
“He was not working for NNPP. He was working for APC,” Galadima mentioned.
Regardless of shedding its solely sitting governor, Galadima maintained that the NNPP would survive and rebuild.
“Earlier than him, we had no person — no councillor, no legislator, no governor,” he mentioned.
“What stopped God from doing that miracle as soon as can’t cease Him once more.”
Turning to nationwide politics, Galadima accused President Bola Tinubu of consolidating political energy forward of the 2027 elections.
“If Tinubu has carried out nicely, why does he want all people to affix his occasion?” he requested.
“Why is he encouraging betrayal?”
He additionally alleged stress on opposition figures by state establishments.
“Through the use of the EFCC, the ICPC and coercing the judiciary,” Galadima mentioned.
Galadima warned that electoral manipulation would now not be tolerated by Nigerians.
“No one can afford to rig the 2027 elections,” he mentioned.
“Nigeria is now not the Nigeria of yesterday. The individuals is not going to settle for it.”
Because the interview concluded, Galadima expressed dissatisfaction over the restricted time given to him.