Abubakar Muhammad

There are moments in politics when hesitation becomes costly and clarity becomes inevitable. Such moments demand firm decisions, not half measures. For Kano State, that moment has arrived—and the die is cast.

The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has formally resigned his membership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), bringing to a close a significant chapter in the state’s political journey and opening the door to a new phase defined by stability, wider engagement, and the overriding interest of the people.

The resignation was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso Chiranchi Ward, NNPP, Gwale Local Government Area, and took effect from Friday, 23rd January, 2026.

In the letter, Governor Yusuf expressed gratitude to the NNPP for the opportunity it provided him and for the support he received throughout his engagement with the party since 2022.

“I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) of my decision to resign my membership of the party, with effect from Friday, 23rd January, 2026.”

While appreciative of the platform offered by the party, the Governor made it clear that persistent internal disputes and prolonged legal battles have weakened the NNPP’s cohesion and capacity to function effectively as a vehicle for governance.

According to him, leadership disagreements and unresolved court cases have continued to unsettle the party’s structure across the country, creating divisions that now appear difficult to heal.

“The growing disenfranchisement among party members has created deep divisions within the party structure, resulting in cracks that appear increasingly irreconcilable and have generated uncertainty at both state and national levels.”

Indeed, for a state as strategic and populous as Kano, uncertainty is a luxury it cannot afford. Governance demands focus, stability, and a political environment that supports service delivery rather than distracts from it.

Governor Yusuf emphasized that his decision followed careful reflection and was guided solely by the public interest.

“After careful reflection, and without prejudice to the party’s capacity to resolve its internal challenges, I have come to the conclusion that my resignation is in the best interest of the people of Kano State.”

This decision, he stressed, was taken in good faith and without bitterness, reaffirming his commitment to peace, unity, and the continued progress of the state.

Significantly, the Governor is not alone in this decision. He is resigning alongside 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and 44 Local Government Chairmen—underscoring the depth of consensus behind the move and the collective resolve to place Kano above party turbulence.

The resignation letter was acknowledged by the Secretary of Diso Chiranchi Ward, Hon. Kabiru Zubairu, who commended Governor Yusuf for his achievements in infrastructure development, urban renewal, healthcare delivery, education, and economic empowerment. While noting efforts to manage the party’s internal crisis, he accepted the Governor’s decision, describing him as one of the most performing leaders produced by the NNPP.

History teaches that when leaders delay hard choices, events eventually force them. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has chosen decisiveness over drift. With this step, Kano signals its readiness for a new political direction—one anchored on stability, cooperation, and results.

The die is cast. Kano moves forward.

Abubakar Muhammad writes from Kano.

Farooq Kperogi

The public rupture between Gov. Abba Yusuf and his “godfather” and in-law, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has the visible trappings of carefully orchestrated political theater. 

Several people have suggested that Yusuf’s defection to the APC was artfully done at the instance of Kwankwaso and was calculated to stall the emergence of a formidable opponent from the APC.

But people close to Kwankwaso, whose integrity and credibility I have no reason to question, swear that the rift is real and that Kwankwaso is smarting from an inexpressibly profound sense of loss and betrayal.

Well, since those who claim that the Kwankwaso-Yusuf falling out is a Machiavellian political performance to checkmate the APC in Kano base their opinion only on intuition and not on cold, hard facts, I choose to err on the side of those who say Gov. Yusuf chose to sever his umbilical cord from Kwankwaso.

This is the second betrayal Kwankwaso has suffered, the first being his well-known acrimonious split with Abdullahi Ganduje, his formerly dutiful deputy.

I have read some Kwankwaso supporters suggest that since a previously loyal deputy betrayed him and an in-law did the same (Yusuf is said to be married to the daughter of Kwankwaso’s brother), maybe he should sponsor his son as the next governor.

I laughed when I read it because it reminded me of the late Olusola Saraki, who almost literally owned Kwara State. He made Adamu Atta the governor of the old Kwara State in 1979. Saraki and Atta dramatically fell apart before the end of Atta’s first term.

Saraki then shifted his enormous political capital to the opposition UPN and made its candidate, Cornelius Adebayo, the governor in 1983 while remaining in the NPN, at the expense of courting the wrath of the national NPN.

He fell out with Adebayo in short order, but the military intervened and spared us the drama of their political rupture.

In the truncated Third Republic in 1992, he supported Sha’aba Lafiagi as governor, but before Sani Abacha dislodged the republic in November 1993, visible cracks between Saraki and Lafiagi had already begun to appear.

So, when the Fourth Republic was inaugurated in 1999, Saraki decided to lend his political weight to an Ilorin native, since all the people he had previously supported from other parts of the state had disappointed him. He therefore worked to get Mohammed Lawal, an Ilorin man, elected governor in 1999.

Many people thought that would be the end of his political nightmare, but it actually got worse.

Against his own wish (I know this because he confided in me when he was alive, which I revealed in my November 24, 2012, column titled “My Last Encounter With Saraki”), he was compelled to support his conceited and culturally inept son, Bukola Saraki, for governor, which he did.

Although Bukola Saraki was his son, he fell out with him spectacularly. Then he wanted to sponsor his daughter, Gbemisola, as Bukola’s successor, which Bukola obstructed. Only his son was able stop him from “anointing” a governor and thus buried him politically. He died a sad man.

If a political godfather consistently falls out with every political godson, the common denominator is not the godsons’ flaws but the godfather himself.

Maybe Kwankwaso needs to look in the mirror and also study Saraki’s experience with political godfatherism.

More importantly, as I have pointed out in previous columns, power empowers. It emboldens and lionizes even the most abjectly diffident, previously slavish, bootlicking subordinates.

Power is particularly self-conscious in the presence of those who enabled it and who feel entitled to pull its strings. I think it is basic decency to steer clear of power once you bring it about. Meddling with power while out of its orbit never ends well.

But as Professor Toyin Falola recently observed in an interview with Edmund Obilo, for most politicians, politics is business. It is their primary source of income, which means they cannot afford to sponsor people into power and then sit back. They feel compelled to reap the returns on their investment. That, perhaps, is the heart of the problem.

By Adamu Muhammad Nababa

The recent elevation of Dr. Bello Shehu to the rank of Professor of Curriculum Development by the Senate of Bayero University, Kano, is a moment of great joy. It is, without doubt, well deserved, and my heartfelt congratulations go to the young and dynamic professor. I am confident that he will continue to prove his mettle, just as he has done in the many positions he has held over the years.

I am particularly delighted by the promotion of someone I consider an erudite scholar who has risen remarkably early on the academic ladder. This achievement truly reflects a steady and consistent rise through the ranks. It is also a testament to the humility of a scholar who values ideas that matter, believes strongly in the acquisition of knowledge, and is deeply committed to imparting it to others.

One cannot help but recall, with nostalgia, his four years of dedicated service to humanity at a top management level, where focus and mental alertness were paramount. At the Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSMB), he led with passion, gave clear direction, and acknowledged errors whenever they were identified. Those four remarkable years undoubtedly strengthened his record in educational administration and national impact. His legacy at the helm of secondary education in Kano State will long be remembered. During that period, he learned extensively, interacted with remarkable personalities, and freely shared his insights in every engagement without hesitation.

I believe Bayero University, Kano, will reap the benefits it rightly expects from this academic milestone. With this well-earned academic crown, it is now time to give back to the university the dedication it deserves, as well as to the state and country that provided the foundation for this growth.

As expected, the professorial chair has long been anticipated, hoped for, and fervently desired. Now that it has been attained, we look forward to a celebration—of any form—that reflects the collective support and guidance we continue to offer one another.

Finally, I hope the Professor will take up the challenge and make a lasting difference in a field that many have traversed, with both modest and significant impact.

Once again, congratulations, Sir.

Adamu Muhammad Nababa
adamumnababa@gmail.com
Kano, Nigeria