The Federal Government has approved N5 billion as an intervention fund for traders affected by the fire that razed large sections of the popular Singer Market in Kano State, while governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have contributed an additional N3 billion in relief support, bringing the total assistance to N8 billion.

Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the donations on Monday during a condolence visit to the market, where he led a Federal Government delegation on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sympathise with victims of the inferno.

He prayed for the prevention of future fire incidents and assured traders of swift recovery efforts through collaboration between the federal and state authorities.

The visit coincided with a grand political reception at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, where the Vice President formally received Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and his supporters into the APC fold on behalf of the President. Shettima conveyed Tinubu’s assurance that the governor’s place in the governing party was “second to none,” describing the defection as a move that strengthens both the party and the administration’s quest for a more inclusive and prosperous nation.

Addressing the gathering, the Vice President praised Kano’s historical and contemporary contributions to Nigeria, describing the state as a cosmopolitan hub of commerce, scholarship and culture whose influence transcends electoral arithmetic.

He said Kano had consistently given more to the nation than it demanded in return and produced leaders who shaped Nigeria’s political and moral imagination.

Welcoming Governor Yusuf, Shettima characterised him as a visionary leader committed to people-centred governance, discipline and service, noting that his entry into the APC signalled a forward-looking political alignment.

On the Singer Market fire, the Vice President reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to working closely with the Kano State Government to ensure that all affected traders receive support and that rehabilitation efforts are both swift and effective.

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, said the governor’s defection would place Kano in what he described as the “mainstream” of national politics, projecting increased access to federal infrastructure and social investments.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, also described the development as strategic for the party and beneficial to the state’s future growth.

APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, commended the governor for what he termed a “right decision,” pledging the party’s support for continued infrastructural and socio-economic development in Kano.

He later presented the symbolic APC flag to Governor Yusuf and several federal legislators who defected alongside him.

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, described Yusuf as “an original APC member who only went on sabbatical and has returned home,” urging party supporters to consolidate the new political momentum in the state.

In his remarks, Governor Yusuf said his decision to join the APC marked a defining moment for Kano, stressing that politics should ultimately serve the people.

He explained that his former party lacked the cohesion and stability required for the state’s development, adding that Kano was “too large and too important to be disconnected from the government at the centre.”

He pledged loyalty to President Tinubu and reaffirmed his commitment to delivering tangible results for residents.

Former APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said the governor’s defection had strengthened the party’s numerical and strategic position in Kano, expressing optimism that the expanded support base would translate into accelerated development for the state.