Reasons Behind the Defections of Kano NNPP Members to APC
A lawmaker has revealed that a significant number of members from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State are leaving the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to a loss of confidence in the current leadership.
Alhassan Doguwa, a member of the House of Representatives from Kano and an APC member, stated this in a message shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. He noted that the NNPP, which currently governs Kano State, is experiencing a wave of defections, particularly from individuals who served as aides to Governor Abba Yusuf.
Recently, several high-profile defections occurred, including that of Abdulraham Kadamaz, the Governor’s Senior Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship, and Sani Dambo, the Special Adviser on Investment, both of whom switched to the APC.
Doguwa asserted that the mass exit from the NNPP is primarily driven by dissatisfaction with the Yusuf administration’s performance. He expressed confidence that the APC will reclaim power in the state during the upcoming 2027 governorship elections.
He further encouraged members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement to unite with the APC for improved governance, stating, “The current NNPP government has lost touch with the people of Kano. Despite any claims made by Rabiu Kwankwaso, the APC is ready to take back control in 2027 due to the NNPP’s failures.”
In response, Hashim Dungurawa, the Chairman of the NNPP in Kano, defended his party’s standing, asserting that it continues to provide effective governance and that the public still trusts its leadership. He dismissed Doguwa’s claims, emphasizing that recent defections are outweighed by new members joining the NNPP.
Dungurawa remarked, “We’ve successfully outmaneuvered the APC in past elections. If Doguwa were honest, he wouldn’t claim a lack of confidence in our party. Just recently, we welcomed over 3,000 new members from various localities.”
In a related discussion on security issues in the Northwest, Doguwa stated that the situation is improving, with many displaced individuals returning to their homes following military actions against bandits. He expressed hope for better agricultural yields in the region, attributing some of the improvements to the establishment of the North West Development Commission by President Bola Tinubu.
However, he acknowledged that while some progress has been made, areas in states like Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna continue to face threats from terrorists, leaving many communities still vulnerable.