Abdullahi Ganduje, the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, has promised Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf of victory in the 2027 governorship election and pledged complete support for his second-term ambition following his defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the APC.
Ganduje made the commitment on Monday during a ceremony to welcome Yusuf to the ruling party at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano, characterizing the governor’s return as a “historic homecoming” and a significant boost for the APC in the state.
“You will win your second term in 2027. We have spoken to all aspirants, and they have agreed to support you,” Ganduje said. “In APC, all serving governors are leaders of the party in their respective states. Therefore, you are the leader of the APC in Kano State.
“We were in the APC together with you; it was formed with you. But later on, because of some political differences and political redirection, you left the party for the NNPP, but now, we are thankful that you are back to our party and your home.
Ganduje described Yusuf as a progressive politician whose leadership style aligns with APC ideology.
“As our brother, the Governor of Kano State, you are a progressive politician from your utterances, your policies, and the implementation of those policies,” he said.
The former Kano governor also assured the governor of equal treatment within the party and expressed confidence that the APC would record sweeping victories in future elections, including President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election.
Yusuf formally rejoined APC on Monday, after resigning from the NNPP on January 23, citing persistent internal crises, ongoing legal battles, and the need to safeguard the developmental interests of Kano State.
In his resignation letter to the chairman of the Diso-Chiranchi Ward of the NNPP in the Gwale Local Government Area, the governor explained that the decision was taken after wide consultation and careful reflection on the state’s future.
“Leadership must rise above comfort, sentiment, or personal selfishness. That is why, after careful reflection and consultation, I relinquished my membership in NNPP and joined the party that is better for Kano,” Yusuf said.
He stressed that the decision was motivated by the need to align Kano with the Federal Government, foster unity, and move away from decades of isolationist politics.
“We are choosing progress over personal desires. Our loyalty is to Kano first,” he added, urging former political allies, including Rabiu Kwankwaso, not to perceive the defection as personal but as a step towards state development and political stability.
The governor’s return to the ruling party was accompanied by 22 state lawmakers, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen in Kano, signaling a massive political realignment in the state.
