Mass Defection Fear Hits NNPP As Chieftains Express Concerns, Blame Kwankwaso

In a significant political shift in Kano State, hundreds of members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing dissatisfaction with the leadership style of the Kwankwasiyya movement led by Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Naija News understands that the defection, which involved top grassroots mobilizers, was led by Alhaji Abdullahi Sani Kwami, popularly known as Dollar, a former vice chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Area.

The development has raised concerns among NNPP chieftains, who fear it could impact the party’s political prospects in the 2027 elections.

The PUNCH reports that Gwarzo is the hometown of Kano’s Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, a close ally of Kwankwasiyya leader Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso.

The defection was confirmed in a statement released by Burau’s spokesperson, Ismail Mudassir.

Kwami led a delegation of party executives, women leaders, and other stakeholders to the APC during a visit to the National Assembly.

Similarly, a faction of former student leaders, led by Comrade Mohammed Nafiu Danlami, also abandoned the Kwankwasiyya movement, citing “anti-masses policies” and a “dictatorial leadership style” as their reasons for switching to the APC.

Adding to the wave of defections, Abba Kafi Governor, a well-known youth mobilizer in Getso, Gwarzo LGA, led his supporters in joining the APC, attributing their decision to the people-focused initiatives and projects implemented by the APC leadership.

Welcoming the new members, prominent APC leader Sen. Barau Jibrin praised their decision, stating, “Congratulations on leaving a mushroom political party for a national political party that is known globally, where your freedom is guaranteed, and you are as free as the air.”

He described the NNPP as a declining force in Kano Central, claiming it had a limited presence in a few wards and was virtually non-existent in Kano North. According to him, even in Kano South, key NNPP figures were shifting allegiance to the APC.

For the youth leaders, he pledged mentorship and support, emphasizing the need to guide young and educated citizens toward meaningful political participation.

“They don’t belong there. They belong here, where they have free space to be what they want to be in life. They have been freed and liberated from the bondage of the mushroom political party,” he added.

The defections represent a major setback for the NNPP in Kano, where the party has previously enjoyed strong grassroots support.

According to The PUNCH, this wave of defections could further weaken the NNPP’s standing ahead of future elections.

However, Sunusi Surajo Kwankwaso, political adviser to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, downplayed the defections, stating that most of those leaving were former aspirants for party positions.

He also noted that the NNPP had been receiving new members from the APC, particularly in Tudun Wada and Gwarzo Local Government Areas.

According to him, defections in Kano North are driven by financial incentives from the senator representing the region.

“We do not offer money to those who defect to our party. Anyone joining the NNPP is doing so because of the developmental and progressive initiatives of Abba Kabir Yusuf or the ideology of Kwankwasiyya,” he emphasized.

When asked about the NNPP’s strategy to prevent further defections, Surajo Kwankwaso responded, “Most of the people joining the APC now are simply seeking political appointments. They rushed into our party in large numbers before we won the elections in Kano. So, this is normal in politics.”