In a move that has redrawn the political map of Northern Nigeria, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), abandoning the NNPP amid a bitter internal feud.

The defection, confirmed on Monday, serves as a capstone to weeks of intense speculation and secret negotiations. It marks the consolidation of power for the APC in Nigeria's most populous northern state and deals a potentially fatal blow to the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

The Grand Reception

Governor Yusuf was received at the Kano Government House with the pomp usually reserved for visiting heads of state. The welcoming committee included his predecessor and former political rival, Abdullahi Ganduje, who now serves as the APC National Chairman. The optics of Ganduje raising Yusuf's hand were unmistakable: the hatchet has been buried, and the APC machinery is now fully in control.

"I harbour no ill will toward any individual or group," Yusuf stated, a veiled reference to his former mentor Rabiu Kwankwaso. "We are moving to the APC to ensure that Kano remains at the center of national development."

• Mass Exodus: Yusuf did not move alone. He was accompanied by 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and nine members of the House of Representatives, effectively collapsing the NNPP's legislative structure in the state.
• 2027 Implications: This realignment secures a formidable base for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. Kano's vote bank is a kingmaker in Nigerian politics, and a unified APC in the state is a juggernaut.

The Politics of Survival

For observers in Kenya, the drama in Kano mirrors the fluid party allegiances often seen in Nairobi, where "party hopping" is a survival strategy. Yusuf's move is a pragmatic calculation: in the rough-and-tumble world of Nigerian politics, federal alignment often trumps ideological purity. As the APC flags replace the red-and-white of the NNPP across Kano, the opposition is left to pick up the pieces of a shattered fortress.