IDNN Politics
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has dismissed his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sunusi Surajo, less than 24 hours after resigning from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), deepening signs of a major political realignment in Kano State.
Surajo, a former chairman of Madobi Local Government Council and a known loyalist of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was replaced by a former aide to the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The decision was confirmed in a social media post by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.
Although the government has not formally explained the rationale for the dismissal, political observers see the move as an early signal of a broader restructuring within the Kano State executive following the governor’s dramatic departure from the NNPP.
Exit letter cites internal crisis
In a resignation letter addressed to his Diso–Chiranchi Ward chairman in Gwale Local Government Area, Yusuf cited “deepening internal crises” and persistent legal disputes as reasons for leaving the party that brought him to power in 2023.
According to the letter, prolonged internal disagreements had weakened cohesion within the NNPP and made governance increasingly difficult. The governor said his decision was taken in what he described as the “broader interest of the people of Kano State.”
Lawmakers and council chairmen follow
The governor’s exit has triggered a wave of defections. A total of 44 local government chairmen, 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, and eight federal lawmakers have pledged loyalty to Yusuf and signalled plans to move with him to the ruling party.
However, the shift has exposed fractures within the influential Kwankwasiyya political movement. Several commissioners and senior appointees are reportedly divided over whether to remain with the NNPP or align with the governor’s new political direction.
Deputy governor absent, tensions grow
A senior political source told The Guardian that Deputy Governor Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo is aligning with Kwankwaso and is unlikely to defect alongside the governor. Efforts to reach the deputy governor’s spokesperson were unsuccessful.
Gwarzo has also been absent from three consecutive public functions at Government House and has reportedly been seen attending meetings at Kwankwaso’s residence, further fuelling speculation of an internal split.
Other officials who have not formally left the NNPP include commissioners overseeing science and technology, special duties, sports, internal security, humanitarian affairs and women affairs.
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Kwankwaso rallies loyalists
Amid the unfolding crisis, Kwankwaso has urged his supporters to brace for what he described as a “serious political struggle” ahead of the 2027 elections, vowing not to abandon loyalists for financial inducements.
Addressing followers at his Miller Road residence in Kano, the former governor appealed for renewed commitment to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, warning against what he portrayed as attempts to “buy over” supporters.
The developments mark one of the most consequential political shifts in Kano since the 2023 elections, with implications for party strength, governance stability and future electoral alignments in Nigeria’s most populous northern state.
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