By Muhammad Mamman
In a significant political manoeuvre ahead of Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s official welcoming rally, the All Progressives Congress (APC) today welcomed a wave of defectors from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The event, held in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, was personally supervised by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, signalling the party’s strategic push to consolidate support in the northern state ahead of forthcoming elections.
Party faithful and new entrants used the occasion to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Yusuf for second terms, underscoring the APC’s narrative of continuity and national stability.
A key moment of the rally saw a prominent Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency indigene appeal to Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki, Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, to return to active politics and contest the constituency’s House of Representatives seat.
The rally drew a high-profile line-up of APC leaders, including:
• APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda
• Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin
• Former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
• Kano State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas
• Executive Chairman of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi), Ismail Ahmed
• Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Bashir Lado Mohammed
Analysts say the defections highlight a growing trend of party realignment in northern Nigeria, as major political actors position themselves for the 2027 general elections, with Kano State emerging as a critical battleground.
