By SUNTV Global Channel | February 2, 2026
A political storm is brewing in Kano State as Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, representing Kano Central Senatorial District under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has ordered former NNPP local government chairmen who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return vehicles earlier provided to them for party activities.
The directive was contained in an official letter dated January 28, 2026, signed by the Secretary to the Senator’s Office, Engr. Ibrahim Nakwalli Kawaji, and sighted by Daily Trust on Sunday.
In the letter, addressed to the NNPP Chairman of Kura Local Government Area, Alhaji Ubale Isyaku Waskas, the senator instructed that “the party vehicle provided to you by the Distinguished Senator Rufai Hanga for NNPP activities in your local government” be returned to his office located at No. 48, Sokoto Road, Nasarawa GRA, Kano.
The letter specified that the vehicles must be returned between January 28 and January 30, 2026, adding that they would be kept at the senator’s office pending the resolution of what it described as internal party matters. Recipients were also urged to “continue serving the party faithfully during the period.”
SUNTV Global Channel gathered that the directive affects all NNPP local government chairmen under Kano Central Senatorial District, including those from Dala, Dawakin Kudu, Fagge, Garun Mallam, Gezawa, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Kura, Madobi, Minjibir, Nasarawa, Tarauni, Ungogo, and Warawa.
The letter further instructed that all vehicles be handed over directly to the Head of the Senator’s Office, Alhaji Shehu Tijjani Usman Tarauni.
The development comes amid a major political realignment in Kano State. Last week, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf formally defected to the APC alongside over 20 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen in the state.
The senator’s directive has since sparked mixed reactions across political and social circles in Kano.
Reacting on social media, Sani Gilashi Haruna described the move as “unfortunate and inconsistent with Kano’s political tradition.” He recalled that prominent businessman and politician Alhaji Abdussalam Abdulkarim (AA Zaura) had previously distributed vehicles to party leaders across all 44 local government areas without demanding their return, even after electoral defeat.
Haruna also questioned the rationale behind the directive, noting that Senator Hanga had earlier described the vehicle distribution as empowerment rather than conditional party property.
In a related reaction, Alhaji Abdussalam Abdulkarim (AA Zaura) said he was ready to provide replacement vehicles to the affected leaders should Senator Hanga insist on retrieving the ones earlier distributed.
His spokesperson, Malam Dahiru Ahmad Maihuddadu, described the senator’s action as regrettable, adding that AA Zaura was prepared to support the leaders with “better vehicles” if necessary.
As political defections continue to reshape Kano’s power dynamics, the controversy has further deepened debate over party loyalty, political empowerment, and the limits of patronage in Nigeria’s democracy.
