Speculation regarding the political future of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, reached a fever pitch on Monday as he held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting, which lasted for over three hours, marked Governor Yusuf’s first known audience with the President since Tinubu’s return from the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Arriving at the State House at approximately 4:13 p.m. clad in his signature white babanriga and red Kwankwasiyya cap, the Governor was ushered into the President’s office but declined to speak with State House correspondents upon his departure.
The visit is the final precursor to Governor Yusuf’s long-rumored defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Insiders revealed that negotiations had previously stalled due to a deadlock over the Governor’s demand for a documented guarantee of an automatic governorship ticket for the 2027 elections. However, indications suggest Monday’s meeting may have resolved these bottlenecks.
A high-ranking APC source from the North-West disclosed that the President has given assurances that Governor Yusuf’s second-term aspirations will be protected, noting that the political pathway is becoming clearer and the risks associated with the defection have been de-escalated. It is understood that the Governor is also seeking the prerogative to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council, a demand that has reportedly unsettled existing APC power brokers in the state, including Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
The looming defection has triggered a seismic rift between Governor Yusuf and his political godfather, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The NNPP National Leader has publicly described the planned move as an act of betrayal, warning that Yusuf could face severe political consequences in 2027 if he abandons the party that brought him to power.
Despite these warnings, the mood in the Governor’s camp was described as “jubilant” following the meeting with the President. The Kano State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, has reportedly paused the party’s ongoing e-registration exercise in the state, anticipating that Governor Yusuf will be the first to register as a member upon his formal declaration, which could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.
If the defection proceeds, it would mark a significant realignment of political forces in Northern Nigeria, effectively dismantling the opposition stronghold in Kano and consolidating President Tinubu’s influence in the region ahead of the next general election cycle. As of press time, neither the Presidency nor the Kano State Government has issued an official communiqué regarding the outcome of the meeting.
