SUNTV Global Channel — Kano
January 26, 2026
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ex-Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has assured Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, of a decisive victory in the 2027 governorship election following his return to the ruling party.
Ganduje gave the assurance on Monday during a high-profile reception held at the Coronation Hall of the Kano Government House, where Governor Yusuf was formally welcomed back into the APC after resigning from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
According to Ganduje, the APC leadership in Kano State has reached a unanimous agreement to support Yusuf’s second-term ambition, stressing that all governorship aspirants within the party have resolved to rally behind the incumbent governor.
“You will win your second term in 2027. We have consulted widely within the party, and all aspirants have agreed to work together and support you,” Ganduje declared.
He described Yusuf’s return as a historic reunion, noting that the governor was among the founding members of the APC before leaving the party due to political disagreements.
“This is a memorable and historic occasion. You were part of this political family from the beginning. Misunderstandings took you away, but today you have returned home,” Ganduje said.
The former governor praised Yusuf as a progressive leader whose political ideology and leadership style align with the core values of the APC, expressing confidence that the party would be strengthened by his return.
“We know you as a progressive politician from your utterances, actions and disposition. APC is complete with you,” he added.
Ganduje further announced that Governor Yusuf automatically assumes leadership of the APC in Kano State, in line with the party’s long-standing structure that recognizes serving governors as state party leaders.
“In APC, every sitting governor is the leader of the party in his state. Therefore, you are now the leader of the APC in Kano State,” he stated.
He also assured Yusuf of unity, fairness and full inclusion within the party, while projecting broader electoral success for the APC at both state and national levels.
“As you join us, we are confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will also emerge victorious in 2027. APC will stand firmly with you,” Ganduje said.
SUNTV Global Channel reports that Governor Yusuf was received by top APC stakeholders, including Deputy Senate President and Senator representing Kano South, Barau Jibrin; Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata; and other senior party leaders from across the state.
The governor’s defection comes amid a wave of political realignments in Kano State following internal crises within the NNPP. Prior to Yusuf’s return, twenty-one members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and forty-four local government chairmen had also defected to the APC.
Governor Yusuf formally communicated his resignation from the NNPP through a letter addressed to the chairman of the Diso-Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, citing unresolved internal disputes within the party as the reason for his decision.
Political observers say Yusuf’s return to the APC signals a major shift in Kano State’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
