Kano NNPP in Turmoil as Caucus Boycotts Kwankwaso’s Meeting.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Northern Bureau Chief, Democracy Newsline
January 3, 2026.
Kano State’s political landscape was thrown into fresh turmoil on Friday following a dramatic boycott of a high-level caucus meeting convened by the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, in what many observers now describe as a clear sign of the party’s deepening internal collapse.
The meeting, held at Senator Kwankwaso’s Miller Road residence, was intended as an emergency intervention to address the escalating crisis triggered by reports that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is set to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Instead, it ended in embarrassment, as the majority of key party actors stayed away.
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Sources within the party confirmed that virtually all invited stakeholders—including senators, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Kano State House of Assembly, commissioners, local government chairmen, party executives, and recognised caucus leaders—boycotted the gathering. Only a handful of loyalists, reportedly from outside Kano State, were seen at the venue.
Political analysts say the boycott represents the most visible rejection yet of Kwankwaso’s authority and shatters the long-held belief that the Kwankwasiyya movement operates under a single, unquestioned command structure.
The failed meeting came amid growing confirmation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is pursuing his defection to the APC without the consent or blessing of his longtime political mentor. This development has exposed deep cracks within the NNPP in Kano, with many party leaders now openly aligning with the governor rather than the movement’s founder.
While the Miller Road meeting struggled to take off, several NNPP powerbrokers and caucus leaders were simultaneously seen paying solidarity visits to the Acting Chairman of the party in Kano State, Hon. Imam Zubairu (Abiya). Party insiders say Abiya enjoys the full backing of Governor Yusuf, a factor widely interpreted as evidence that the party’s centre of gravity has shifted away from Kwankwaso.
An APC chieftain in Kano, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed confidence and excitement over Governor Yusuf’s anticipated defection, describing it as a major boost for the ruling party.
“All APC stakeholders are ready to give Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf full support to move Kano forward,” the source said. “His coming will help us deliver the massive votes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs for re-election in 2027.”
On the possibility of Senator Kwankwaso joining the APC, the source was dismissive. “We do not need Kwankwaso in APC. If he comes, party leaders, lawmakers, and even Senator Kawu Sumaila will leave. We cannot and will not work with him,” the source warned, urging the governor to align fully with established APC leaders in the state.
The APC chieftain also praised former governor and APC leader, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, describing him as a statesman and suggesting that recent events have vindicated him politically.
The crisis has also filtered down to the grassroots. A local government NNPP chairman from Kano Central admitted that many party members are reassessing their political positions.
“We now realise that Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was not the problem,” the chairman said. “We wronged him with insults and false accusations, and we ask him to forgive us.”
Observers note the irony that what Ganduje struggled to achieve for nearly four years—politically detaching Kano from Kwankwaso’s grip—appears to have been accomplished by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in a matter of days. The speed and scale of the unfolding realignment have stunned even seasoned political watchers.
Even within Kwankwaso’s inner circle, confidence appears to be waning. One caucus member who attended the ill-fated meeting admitted that the signs are ominous.
“It is now clear that the time has come for our leader, Kwankwaso, to step aside and preserve his dignity before events overtake him,” the source said.
As events continue to unfold, Friday’s boycott is increasingly being viewed as a historic turning point—one that may mark the beginning of the end of Kwankwaso’s dominance in Kano politics and the emergence of a new political order in the state.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JANUARY 3RD 2026)
