Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on Monday met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid growing speculation over his possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor was seen arriving at the President’s office around 4:13 p.m. and departed approximately three hours later without addressing journalists. However, sources indicated that Yusuf is expected to return later in the week to brief the President on follow-up discussions arising from the meeting.
The visit comes against the backdrop of prolonged negotiations surrounding Yusuf’s planned move from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the APC—a defection that has reportedly been postponed several times since early January.
The meeting marked Yusuf’s first known engagement with President Tinubu since the President returned from Abu Dhabi, where he attended the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Sources familiar with the talks disclosed that the defection process stalled after APC leaders reportedly declined the governor’s request for a written assurance guaranteeing him the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections. Yusuf is also said to be seeking the authority to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council and to replace federal appointees from Kano with his loyalists.
These demands have allegedly brought the governor into conflict with influential figures within the APC, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who is widely believed to be nursing governorship ambitions for 2027.
Meanwhile, videos shared on Yusuf’s official Facebook page earlier showed him presiding over the first Kano State Executive Council meeting of 2026 at the Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
Yusuf’s political mentor and NNPP national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has openly condemned the proposed defection, describing it as a betrayal and warning that the governor would face political consequences in 2027 if he proceeds.
Reports also indicate that Mustapha Kwankwaso, son of the NNPP leader, alongside other cabinet members loyal to Kwankwaso, have threatened to resign should Yusuf officially join the APC.
In a related development, an APC chieftain in Kano State, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, claimed in a viral video that President Tinubu directed the suspension of the APC’s ongoing e-registration exercise in Kano pending Yusuf’s formal entry into the party. According to Doguwa, the President wants the governor to be the first to register upon joining.
Earlier this month, President Tinubu praised Yusuf in a birthday message marking his 63rd birthday, commending his infrastructural initiatives and commitment to grassroots development. The President highlighted road construction projects, urban renewal efforts, and improvements in the education sector, including improved performance by Kano students in NECO examinations.
Tinubu also described Kano as a stronghold of progressive politics in northern Nigeria, noting that Yusuf’s administration reflects a commitment to uplifting the poor and advancing grassroots development in line with the legacy of the late Mallam Aminu Kano.
