By Peter Omopo
The red and white insignia of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have been removed from the Kano State Government House, as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf prepares to formally defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) today.
TVC News observed on Monday morning that APC flags had been mounted at the main gates and within the Government House premises, signalling an imminent political realignment in the state.
Sources at the Government House confirmed that the facility has been placed on “high-readiness mode” ahead of the official reception of the governor, who is expected to announce his defection to the ruling party later in the day.
The formal declaration is expected to take place after the flag-off of the APC e-registration exercise in Kano State.
Governor Yusuf’s planned defection follows a series of political engagements, including a recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, which fuelled speculations about his move from the NNPP to the APC.
Although unconfirmed reports had earlier suggested that the defection was delayed over alleged disagreements surrounding an automatic second-term ticket, developments over the weekend appear to have cleared the way for the switch.
On Sunday, Governor Yusuf officially announced his intention to join the APC after resigning from the NNPP last Friday. The announcement was contained in a statement signed by his Director General of Media and Publicity, Sanusi Bature.
The statement also recalled that Yusuf is not new to the APC, having first joined the party in 2014 when he won its primary election for the Kano Central Senatorial seat, a position he later relinquished to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The anticipated defection is expected to have significant political implications in Kano State and the broader political landscape ahead of future electoral contests.
