NNPP says Rabiu Kwankwaso feels betrayed after Kano Governor Abba Yusuf defected to APC, describing the move as a breach of voter trust
The New Nigeria Peoples Party has said its national leader and former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is deeply disappointed by the decision of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to defect from the party to the All Progressives Congress.
Also read: NNPP Denies Kwankwaso Backing Defections
The NNPP made the position known on Tuesday through its National Spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
Johnson said the governor’s defection amounted to a serious betrayal of trust, not only against the party leadership but also against the people of Kano State who voted overwhelmingly for the NNPP in the 2023 governorship election.
According to Johnson, the sense of disappointment expressed by Kwankwaso reflects a broader feeling among Kano residents who turned to the NNPP after years of dissatisfaction with the previous administration.
“Of course, he feels betrayed, but this goes beyond Senator Kwankwaso,” Johnson said.
“The people of Kano suffered what they described as eight years of poor governance and turned out massively to entrust the NNPP with power through Kwankwaso’s leadership.”
He explained that the party contested the election without an established political structure in the state, yet secured victory due to strong grassroots mobilisation.
Johnson said the NNPP had no councillors or local government chairmen at the time but still won the governorship election through popular support.
“They stayed with Abba Kabir Yusuf through the tribunal, the Court of Appeal and even up to the Supreme Court,” he said, describing the support as unwavering.
The NNPP spokesperson maintained that Governor Yusuf’s move to the APC, carried out without prior consultation with voters, undermined the mandate freely given by the electorate.
“Returning power to the same party that was voted out after eight years, without consulting the people, is a betrayal of trust, no matter how it is presented,” Johnson added.
Also read: NNPP Denies Kwankwaso Backing Defections
The party said the development raised serious questions about political accountability and respect for voter choice in Nigeria’s democratic process.
