Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday held a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in a development that has prompted widespread speculation about his political future, particularly the possibility of a defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kano
Both leaders met in a closed-door session on January 19, 2026, at the seat of federal power.
The governor arrived at the State House around 4:13pm local time, dressed in his signature white traditional attire and red Kwankwasiyya cap, and was seen making his way into the President’s office, according to eyewitness reports. The meeting comes shortly after President Tinubu’s return from an official engagement abroad.
Although neither the Presidency nor the Kano State Government has issued an official statement detailing the agenda or outcome of the meeting, political analysts have linked the engagement to ongoing discussions about Governor Yusuf’s reported plans to switch political parties.
Speculation over a possible defection has intensified in recent weeks. Reports suggest that negotiations between Governor Yusuf and APC leadership have been underway since early January 2026 but stalled due to unresolved issues, including demands for a written assurance of an automatic governorship ticket for the 2027 elections.
The governor is also reportedly seeking the right to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council and authority over Kano-based federal appointments, conditions that have reportedly complicated talks with APC power brokers.
Former Kano State Governor and NNPP national leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has publicly criticised the potential defection, describing it as an act of disloyalty to the party’s ideals and warning of possible political consequences for Yusuf in the 2027 polls.
The meeting underscores the fluidity of political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with defections and realignments among key political figures influencing party strategies and electoral calculations.
As of the time of publication, Governor Yusuf and the Presidency have not provided further details on the discussions held during the closed-door session.
