Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and founder of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has sent an unmistakable signal to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State and other defectors: his political conviction, he says, is not up for negotiation.
Speaking to supporters in Kano amid growing defections from the NNPP, Kwankwaso declared, “I am not for sale,” a statement widely interpreted as a direct response to the governor’s resignation from the party and ongoing talks linking Yusuf to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The message was both a moral stance and a strategic warning — that inducements, promises of power, or elite negotiations would not sway his political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The statement comes at a critical moment in Kano politics. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who was elected in 2023 on the NNPP platform largely on the strength of Kwankwaso’s political structure and grassroots influence, formally resigned from the party in January 2026 after weeks of speculation. His exit, reportedly followed by several lawmakers and local government political actors, has triggered the most serious internal crisis the NNPP has faced since its post-2023 emergence as a northern political force.
Yusuf’s resignation has been linked to deepening disagreements within the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement over control, direction, and alignment ahead of 2027. While the governor has framed his decision as being in the “best interest of Kano State,” party loyalists see it as a fundamental break from the movement that brought him to power.
Kwankwaso, addressing supporters under pressure to defect, insisted that political struggles are not new to him and that abandoning principles for short-term gain has never been his path. He urged his followers to remain focused, disciplined, and prepared for the 2027 elections, signalling that the NNPP — with or without sitting governors — intends to remain in contention.
Behind the scenes, the political chessboard is rapidly shifting. Governor Yusuf’s meetings with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja have intensified speculation that he may formally join the APC. However, reports suggest negotiations have been complicated by disagreements over future political guarantees, including the sensitive issue of the 2027 governorship ticket in Kano. As of now, Yusuf has not publicly announced his new political platform, leaving both allies and opponents guessing.
Within the NNPP, reactions have ranged from condemnation to defiance. Party leaders have described Yusuf’s exit as a betrayal of the electorate and the Kwankwasiyya base, while insisting that the party’s strength lies more in its grassroots movement than in elected officeholders. Some NNPP chieftains have gone further, claiming the party can still reclaim Kano in 2027 even if the incumbent governor aligns with the APC.
The unfolding crisis has also reopened old debates in Kano politics: how decisive is incumbency without a solid grassroots base, and how durable is a political movement when its top actors fall out? Kano’s history suggests voter loyalty is fluid, shaped by personalities, performance, and local alliances rather than party labels alone.
For the APC, Yusuf’s potential defection represents an opportunity to regain firm control of Kano, one of Nigeria’s most electorally significant states. For Kwankwaso, it is a test of whether the Kwankwasiyya Movement can survive elite fractures and still mobilise mass support as it has done in the past.
Beyond Kano, the implications are national. Kwankwaso remains a key opposition figure with influence across northern Nigeria, and his next moves — whether consolidating the NNPP, forming alliances, or joining a broader opposition coalition — could shape the 2027 presidential contest.
For now, his message is deliberately simple and symbolic. In a political season defined by defections and negotiations, Kwankwaso is drawing a line: he is staying put, he says, and the movement he built must prepare for the long road to 2027 — with or without those who choose to walk away.
Abuja Network News
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