Kano, Nigeria – Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has condemned the recent wave of defections from the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the action as a betrayal of public trust and party principles.
Addressing a delegation of party loyalists from Takai Local Government Area on Friday at his residence in Kano, Kwankwaso expressed deep concern over what he called the abandonment of the NNPP’s grassroots mission by some of its elected representatives.
His remarks come shortly after the defection of Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South, along with several members of the National Assembly, to the APC.
“In Kano South, the electorate rejected short-term handouts—food items, cash, and textiles—and voted with conviction for the NNPP,” Kwankwaso stated. “Sadly, some of those entrusted with that mandate have turned their backs on the very people who elected them.”
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He described such political cross-carpeting as the “height of betrayal,” stressing that leaving a party that provided support and structure during elections for personal gain undermines the very foundation of democracy.
Kwankwaso, a key opposition voice in Northern Nigeria, praised party members who chose to stay committed to the Kwankwasiyya cause, stating that their continued loyalty reflects the strength of the movement’s ideology.
“This struggle is not just about winning elections. It’s about standing firm with the people who believed in us. Those who jumped ship for personal benefits will come to regret their choices,” he warned.
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The development in Kano mirrors a broader trend in Nigeria’s political landscape this year, where defections into the APC have been on the rise. Influential figures such as Senator Ned Nwoko, Delta State’s current and former governors, and political heavyweight Valentine Ozigbo have all declared allegiance to the ruling party in recent months.
Observers say the defections may be strategic, with 2027 elections looming, but critics argue they expose the fragility of party ideology and commitment in Nigerian politics.
