Presidential Spokesperson, Onanuga says Kano Shaping up for President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf Without Kwankwaso

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has declared that Kano State is aligning in support of President Tinubu and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, sidelining the influence of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

In a statement on his X handle, Onanuga shared his assessment of the current political dynamics in the state, emphasising that the political realignment underway is firmly in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress and its leadership. He pointed to the recent defection of Governor Yusuf to the APC as a turning point that has reshaped the political landscape of the northwest state. According to Onanuga, the governor’s move has effectively diminished Kwankwaso’s grip on Kano’s political structure, which had been built over decades through the Kwankwasiyya movement. “Kano is shaping up for President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf without Kwankwaso,” Onanuga wrote, signalling that the political calculus in the state had shifted decisively.

The presidential spokesperson’s comments come against the backdrop of dramatic political developments that began in January 2026, when Governor Yusuf formally resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party, the platform on which he was elected in 2023. He left alongside 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen, in what political observers described as a coordinated migration rather than a simple defection. The governor cited persistent internal disputes and legal challenges within the NNPP as reasons for his departure, stating that his decision was taken in the best interest of the people of Kano State.

Kwankwaso, who is Governor Yusuf’s political godfather and in-law, had opposed the defection and declared January 23, 2026, as the “World Betrayal Day” following his former protégé’s exit. The NNPP leadership also described the move as a betrayal of a sacred trust, drawing historical parallels to a similar defection in the 1980s that ultimately ended in electoral defeat for those who switched allegiance. However, Onanuga’s statement suggests that the presidential aide believes the political momentum has swung decisively away from Kwankwaso.

The political realignment in Kano has been widely interpreted as a strategic victory for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. Political analysts have noted that Kano, as Nigeria’s second most populous state, carries substantial electoral weight, and securing its political machinery within the ruling party significantly reduces electoral uncertainty. Governor Yusuf’s defection was formalised during a grand rally on February 16, 2026, when Vice President Kashim Shettima officially welcomed him into the APC on behalf of President Tinubu, with an unprecedented crowd filling the Sani Abacha International Stadium in Kano.

Onanuga’s assertion that Kano is aligning without Kwankwaso appears to confirm that efforts to bring the NNPP national leader into the APC fold have been unsuccessful. Earlier reports had indicated that President Tinubu initially sought for Kwankwaso to join the APC alongside Governor Yusuf, and that the president had been cautious about accepting the governor without his mentor. However, Kwankwaso’s conditions for joining the ruling party were reportedly unrealistic, including alleged demands for commitments regarding the 2031 presidential position. By late March 2026, Kwankwaso had instead led his followers to the African Democratic Congress, further cementing his position in opposition.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, further projected confidence in the APC’s stronghold over Kano State, presenting Governor Yusuf as the central figure capable of delivering the state for President Tinubu in the next electoral cycle. Onanuga’s statement also reinforces the narrative that Kwankwaso, despite his historical influence, has been effectively marginalised from the political equation in the state. The coming months will determine whether this alignment translates into electoral success, but for now, the presidential aide has made clear where the presidency believes power lies in Kano.