Political turmoil is looming within the top echelon of the Kwankwasiyya movement as Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State and his political godfather are set to fall apart over the much-awaited defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Barring any last-minute decision, Governor Yusuf will join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure his ambition for a second term, The Guardian reliably gathered.
Yusuf has insisted on leaving the NNPP after wide consultations with stakeholders, including members of the state House of Assembly, local government chairmen, and some federal lawmakers from Kano, a source said.
When contacted, the party Chairman, Hon. Hashim Dungurawa, said that Kwankwaso is not part of Governor Yusuf’s decision to join APC. He warned that the decision would amount to gross betrayal of trust.
Dungurawa warned all party leaders not to join any move to endorse or sign any document that would signal a defection from NNPP to APC.
“I want to make it clear that Kwankwaso and other leaders do not approve of the defection of the governor to the APC. We urged them to be patient, not to go, but it seems they are not ready.
“We urged them not to abandon the party and move to the APC, which the people of Kano have rejected. We want to remain in NNPP. Let me also draw attention to the rumour that certain people are pitching Kwankwaso against the governor. This is not true. We have never done that”. Dungurawa said.
However, some strong loyalists of the governor have mobilised party members to front the official defection of Yusuf to the APC. At engagements across their constituencies on Sunday, aides to the governor declared their readiness to join the APC.
Addressing party loyalists on Sunday, Director of Protocol Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo declared full support and readiness to join forces with the governor to return to the APC.
He said, “We at Rogo Local Government, under the leadership of Speaker Jibrin Ismail Falgore, myself, the council chairman, caucus leaders, elders, women and youth leaders, have resolved that Kwankwaso is our leader, and that he and Governor Yusuf should take us to APC.”
“This resolution is in the best interest of our people, our country, and even Kwankwaso himself. We believe his presidential ambition can be realised in the APC if we join now. This is our stand, and all the stakeholders in this local government have agreed to this.
“We are also calling on all our supporters to shun abusive politics and never insult anyone. They are all our leaders, and we don’t like insulting anyone. However, we will remain in Kwankwasiyya for life, and for now, we are in NNPP, but we are calling on these leaders to lead us into APC, because that is the solution for now,” he added.
Similarly, the Director-General, Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, also backed the decision of his Dawakin Tofa LGA caucus to follow the governor to the APC.
In a meeting with the NNPP caucus, Dawakin Tofa LGA Chairman, Anas Danmaliki, said the Kwankwasiyya movement has split into two, the pro-masses and anti-masses, but that he and all his councillors are wherever Governor Yusuf is.
Thereafter, the governor’s spokesperson responded, “I, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa l, as one of the caucus of the party in the LGA, I’m with whatever Danmaliki said 1,000 per cent.”
