The Kano State Government yesterday asked supporters of Governor Abba Yusuf to resist the temptation of making inflammatory remarks or insulting the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Kwankwaso, following the dumping of the party by the governor and his allies.
The Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Bature Tofa, warned that any such acts would not be tolerated by the government.
Tofa spoke during the distribution of motorcycles to residents at the Open Space Theatre, Government House.
‘We will not accept indiscipline or insults against the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Anybody who engages in such behaviour will face the consequences. We will not accept it’, he said.
He urged supporters of the governor to exercise restraint and maturity, particularly amid heightened political tension following recent political realignments in the state.
Government, he said, remained committed to sustaining peace and unity among its supporters, stressing that political differences should not degenerate into personal attacks or abusive conduct.
The governor’s resignation from the NNPP has sparked a debate within and outside the state with some people supporting his action and some others berating him or Kwankwaso.
The Governor yesterday named a new Political Adviser as he began the process of reengineering his government following his resignation from the NNPP on Friday.
Alhaji Mustapha Buhari Bakwana replaces Sunusi Surajo Kwankwaso who declined to follow the governor out of the party.
Yusuf praised Bakwana for his political savvy and support for the administration.
The appointment was announced at the Kano Government House during a ceremony where 800 motorcycles were handed out to journalists and social media influencers.
‘His (Sunusi’s) loyalty is still with the leader of the NNPP Rabiu Kwankwaso’, a source told The Nation yesterday.
The governor’s spokesman Sanusi Bature in a statement on his Facebook wall had said ‘Gov. Yusuf fires Sunusi Surajo Kwankwaso and replaced him with Mustapha Bakwana’.
The said Bakwana’s appointment was based on his commitment, loyalty and contributions to the administration’s growth.
He expressed confidence that Bakwana would strengthen government policies and political engagements.
The governor said Bakwana’s loyalty and contributions to the government’s growth will be key to strengthening policies and engagement.
‘His experience and commitment earned him the appointment’, Yusuf said.
The motorcycles, distributed to boost media coverage of government activities, were part of Yusuf’s push to partner with journalists and influencers in promoting governance and democratic values.
Yusuf noted the media’s critical partnership in governance, informing the public, and deepening democratic values.
He appealed to beneficiaries to support his administration by objectively projecting its achievements and policies, stressing the importance of collaboration for development goals.
Beneficiaries praised Yusuf’s commitment to supporting media practitioners and social media influencers.
Abubakar Sanusi from Fagge Local Government Area lauded the governor for identifying with social media influencers, saying they would mobilise residents to highlight projects executed by the administration.
Kwankwasiyya groups give conditions to dump NNPP
Some Kwankwasiyya youth groups in Kano State said yesterday that they would support the governor in his latest move only on the condition that he would address alleged marginalisation and lack of youth inclusion in governance.
Representatives of the groups said while they were not against his resignation from the NNPP, they were not impressed by youths’ ‘exclusion from governance’ since his emergence.
Their spokesman, Aminu Abdullahi, popularly known as Alhaji Warkal, said they would move with the governor ‘if the government genuinely carries the youths along and gives them a sense of belonging’.
Abdullahi claimed that many young people who worked for the success of the Kwankwasiyya movement and the NNPP during the 2023 elections were abandoned after victory was achieved.
He said: ‘These youths sacrificed their time, energy and resources to bring the government into power. But after that, they were not involved in programmes, consultations or opportunities that concern them.
‘You don’t expect young people to follow blindly when they are not embedded in governance. Youth engagement is key to reducing crime and social tension’.
Yusuf resigned from Kwankwasiya Movement, not NNPP – Founder
Founder of NNPP, Dr Boniface Aniebonam said Governor Yusuf did not resign from the party but from the Kwankwasiya Movement, led by Dr. Kwankwaso.
In a statement, Aniebonam said the resignation letter from the governor was not addressed to the NNPP authentic National Working Committee (NWC) led by Dr Major Agbo nor the state chairman or the ward secretary but to a member of the Kwankwasiya movement in Diso-Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area of the state.
‘The NNPP NWC does not recognise the Kwankwasiya movement’s ward chairman as chairman of the party.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Kano state governor was said to have resigned from the NNPP, alongside 21 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives and 44 local government chairmen in the state.
The resignation was disclosed in a statement on Friday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Tofa.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward of the NNPP in Gwale Local Government Area, Yusuf formally communicated his decision to leave the party with effect from Friday, 23 January.
‘I write with a deep sense of gratitude to formally notify the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party of my decision to resign my membership of the party, with effect from Friday, 23rd January 2026’, the governor stated.
Aniebonam, however, stated that the resignation of Yusuf and other political office holders of the party was not known to him as NNPP leader, founder and Chairman of its Board of Trustees.
‘The NNPP lifted the governor’s suspension from its membership and directed that he took responsibility of its leadership, being the highest elected officer of the party.
‘You will recall that the Abia State High Court and Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment directed INEC to recognise and handover NNPP administration to the Aniebonam led board of trustees of the party.
The Federal capital territory high court equally issued an enrolment order, restraining INEC from dealing and transacting any business with the Kwankwasiya movement.
‘The NNPP is a registered political party whereas the Kwankwasiya movement was a pressure group in the party, and the Memorandum of Association with it was terminated, and the entire defunct NWC, led by Dr Ahmed Ajuji expelled for anti patty activities after the 2023 presidential elections.
‘Yusuf and others in the legislative arm of Kano State won elections under the platform of NNPP with Logo of Basket of Fruits and not Kwankwasiya insignia of book and red colour’.
Aniebonam described the delay by INEC to update its records and upload Dr Agbo Major and Mr Oginni Olaposi led NWC as mere administrative lapses.
‘This has nothing to do with judgments of the courts which must be obeyed. Accordingly, the ongoing judicial review at the FCT High Court is to compel INEC to update its records.
‘The reasons for Yusuf’s resignation are noted, but what is certain is that the NNPP has no issues with the governor and personal decisions he wishes to make.
‘We blame the tragedy of members in Kano wanting to opt out on the high handedness of Kwankwaso, which is highly regretted’.
Aniebonam urged members in Kano State and nationwide to remain calm and more committed as the party looked forward to more wins in the 2027 elections.
Yusuf pulled out of the NNPP with eight members of the House of Representatives, 21 members of the State House of Assembly and 44 local government chairmen.
Their destination is the All Progressives Congress (APC).
