THE political landscape in Kano State was thrown into deeper uncertainty on Saturday as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf relieved his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sunusi Surajo, of his appointment, barely 24 hours after resigning from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
News Point Nigeria reports that the dismissal of Surajo, a staunch loyalist of former governor and NNPP national leader Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, comes amid a wave of mass defections that has seen 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly and several other elected officials abandon the NNPP in solidarity with the governor.
Surajo, a former chairman of Madobi Local Government Area and a prominent figure within the Kwankwasiyya political movement, was replaced by a former aide to ex-governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The appointment has been widely interpreted as a clear signal of Governor Yusuf’s shifting political alignment.
The governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, confirmed the development via a social media post but offered no official reason for Surajo’s removal.
Sources within Government House, however, said the decision forms part of a broader political recalibration following Yusuf’s dramatic exit from the NNPP, a party he accused of being riddled with leadership crises, internal disputes, and legal battles.
In his resignation letter addressed to the chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, Yusuf said he could no longer remain in a party plagued by instability.
“The NNPP has been engulfed by internal disagreements and legal battles that continue to undermine its unity across the country.
These issues have weakened cohesion and distracted the party from its responsibility to the people,” the governor wrote.
The fallout from Yusuf’s resignation has been swift and far-reaching. No fewer than 22 lawmakers of the 40-member Kano State House of Assembly formally announced their defection from the NNPP, citing loyalty to the governor and support for his administration.
In a statement issued by the Speaker’s spokesperson, Kamaluddeen Sani Shawai, the lawmakers said their decision was meant to strengthen the governor’s political base following his exit from the party.
Leading the defectors are Speaker Jibril Ismail Falgore, Deputy Speaker Muhammad Bello Butu Butu, Majority Leader Lawan Hussain, Deputy Majority Leader Garba Shehu Fammar, Chief Whip Muddasir Ibrahim Zawachiki, and Majority Whip Zakariyya Abdullahi Nuhu, alongside several other ranking members.
The statement added that the lawmakers had endorsed Yusuf’s decision to leave the NNPP and were awaiting further directives on their next political destination.
Beyond the Assembly, the governor’s defection has also reportedly pulled along 44 local government chairmen and eight federal legislators, further weakening the NNPP’s grip on Kano.
However, the crisis has exposed deep cracks within the Kwankwasiyya movement. A senior political source disclosed that Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo has refused to follow Yusuf out of the NNPP and remains loyal to Senator Kwankwaso.
Observers have also noted the deputy governor’s conspicuous absence from three consecutive official engagements at Government House, even as he has reportedly attended several political meetings at Kwankwaso’s residence along Miller Road, Kano.
The state cabinet is similarly divided, with several commissioners opting to remain in the NNPP. Those reported to have stayed back include the commissioners for science and technology, special duties, sports, internal security, humanitarian affairs, and women affairs.
Reacting to the unfolding developments, Senator Kwankwaso addressed his supporters in Kano, urging them to remain resolute ahead of what he described as a fierce political contest leading to the 2027 general elections.
“Raising funds for a movement is not easy, but we are proud of your loyalty.
We need people who are committed to progressive ideals, not those who can be swayed by money,” Kwankwaso said.
He warned against sacrificing ideology for personal gain, insisting that political struggles require endurance and discipline.
Although Governor Yusuf has yet to formally announce his next political destination, strong indications suggest he is heading to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
If confirmed, the defections would hand the APC effective control of the Kano State House of Assembly, marking a major shift in the state’s political balance of power.