The New Nigeria Peoples Party has fiercely condemned Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State after he officially resigned from the party. The NNPP labeled his move a “cold betrayal of a sacred trust.”

Governor Yusuf submitted his resignation on Friday, effective January 23, 2026, in a letter to his local ward party chairperson. His spokesperson confirmed the exit, which is widely expected to lead to him joining the ruling All Progressives Congress.

In a strong response, the NNPP national leadership expressed “profound anguish and deep disappointment.” The party stated Yusuf was abandoning the very movement that propelled him to power, warning his action risks returning Kano to “forces that have long opposed its progress.”

The party directly rejected the governor’s stated reason for leaving, which cited an “irredeemable crisis” within the NNPP. Officials argued this claim is “baseless,” pointing to recent supervised party congresses and election victories just months ago as proof of the party’s functionality.

Drawing a sharp historical parallel, the NNPP recalled the 1980s defection of former Governor Abubakar Rimi. They noted that despite Rimi taking most elected officials with him, voters overwhelmingly rejected him in the next election, a result they suggest should be a “sobering lesson.”

The party called on its supporters and the people of Kano to remain calm. They ended with a warning that those who abandon principle for political expediency rarely escape the judgment of the electorate.

This defection marks a major shift in Kano’s political landscape, setting the stage for a significant realignment ahead of future elections.