POLITICS
Ganduje Hands Yusuf Automatic 2027 Ticket as Governor Formally Joins APC
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has formally defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), triggering a major political realignment in the state and reshaping the landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Governor Yusuf announced his defection yesterday at the Coronation Hall of the Kano State Government House, explaining that the move was guided by the need to promote unity, stability and accelerated development for the state.
He had earlier resigned from the NNPP on Friday, citing prolonged internal crises and leadership disputes that, according to him, distracted from effective governance.Declaring that his foremost priority remained the delivery of good governance and dividends of democracy to Kano residents, Yusuf was received into the APC in the presence of key party leaders, including former APC National Chairman and ex-governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; and Senator Kawu Sumaila, alongside members of the State Executive Council, party stakeholders and top government officials.
The defection came just hours after 21 members of the Kano State House of Assembly also moved from the NNPP to the APC, further consolidating the ruling party’s grip on the state.
Speaking at the event, Ganduje announced that the APC had resolved to grant Governor Yusuf an automatic ticket for the 2027 governorship election. He disclosed that the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, his running mate and other aspirants had agreed to step down and rally behind the governor.
Ganduje also declared Yusuf the leader of the APC in Kano State, stressing that it was the party’s tradition for a sitting governor to assume that position. Expressing confidence in Yusuf’s political future, he said the APC was united in Kano and optimistic about victory in 2027.
Meanwhile, the political shake-up has claimed its first casualty within the state cabinet, as the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, resigned his appointment.
In a statement released on Monday, Kwankwaso—son of former Kano State governor and NNPP leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—said he stepped down with a “heavy heart,” thanking Governor Yusuf for the opportunity to serve. He expressed appreciation for the experiences gained in office and prayed for continued progress in youth empowerment and sports development in the state.
Kwankwaso’s resignation is widely seen as a direct fallout of the governor’s defection from the NNPP, underscoring the deepening political realignments within the Kano State Government as alliances shift and the countdown to 2027 quietly begins.
POLITICS
Kaduna Assembly Debunks Report on Alleged Abduction of Lawmaker
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has described as false a report alleging that the member representing Kajuru Constituency, Hon. Usman Stingo, was abducted by suspected terrorists.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, NGOs and Development Partners, Marah Henry, who made this known in a statement on Thursday, said the report published by an online medium was malicious and fictitious.
Henry said the lawmaker representing Kajuru was safe and currently discharging his official duties.
He added that the individual mentioned in the publication was wrongly identified as a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
According to him, the photograph used in the report does not represent the leadership of the constituency, further indicating the lack of due diligence by the publisher.
“The report is entirely false and a figment of the publisher’s imagination.
“It is a calculated attempt to incite fear, cause public unrest and undermine public trust in the government’s security capacity,” he said.
Henry warned media organisations against disseminating unverified information, stating that the assembly would not hesitate to seek legal redress against individuals or institutions found culpable of spreading defamatory information.
He emphasised that while freedom of the press was constitutionally guaranteed, it should not be used to promote reckless journalism capable of threatening public peace and security.
The committee chairman urged members of the public to disregard the report and remain calm, assuring that the state government remained committed to the safety of lives and property.
He advised the citizens to rely only on official sources for information and avoid sharing unverified reports capable of causing panic.
“The government’s priority remains the peace and stability of Kaduna State,” Henry said.
POLITICS
Kaduna Assembly Debunks Report on Alleged Abduction of Lawmaker
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has described as false a report alleging that the member representing Kajuru Constituency, Hon. Usman Stingo, was abducted by suspected terrorists.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, NGOs and Development Partners, Marah Henry, who made this known in a statement on Thursday, said the report published by an online medium was malicious and fictitious.
Henry said the lawmaker representing Kajuru was safe and currently discharging his official duties.
He added that the individual mentioned in the publication was wrongly identified as a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
According to him, the photograph used in the report does not represent the leadership of the constituency, further indicating the lack of due diligence by the publisher.
“The report is entirely false and a figment of the publisher’s imagination.
“It is a calculated attempt to incite fear, cause public unrest and undermine public trust in the government’s security capacity,” he said.
Henry warned media organisations against disseminating unverified information, stating that the assembly would not hesitate to seek legal redress against individuals or institutions found culpable of spreading defamatory information.
He emphasised that while freedom of the press was constitutionally guaranteed, it should not be used to promote reckless journalism capable of threatening public peace and security.
The committee chairman urged members of the public to disregard the report and remain calm, assuring that the state government remained committed to the safety of lives and property.
He advised the citizens to rely only on official sources for information and avoid sharing unverified reports capable of causing panic.
“The government’s priority remains the peace and stability of Kaduna State,” Henry said.
POLITICS
Atiku’s Aide Slams Fayose Over Alleged 2027 Horse-trading
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, has described allegations by former governor Ayo Fayose that Atiku is negotiating with Governor Seyi Makinde to run on joint ticket in 2027 as “Beer parlour tales of infamy.
”Fayose had issued a statement titled “Between Atiku and Makinde, Untold Story of What Happened in Minna Yesterday,” on what he alleged transpired when Atiku and Fayose visited former military president Ibrahim Babangida in Minna Niger State earlier in the week.
Responding to Fayose’s allegation, Shaibu said: “Let it be stated clearly: the entire publication is a shameless concoction — a tissue of lies stitched together by a serial purveyor of political gossip whose relevance survives only on controversy, distortion, and cheap propaganda.
“At no time did former Vice President Atiku Abubakar engage in the imaginary horse-trading described in that laughable script.
“There were no negotiations over vice-presidential tickets. There were no discussions about ₦10 billion contributions. There were no zoning manipulations. There were no delegate-delivery guarantees. And there is certainly no clandestine “Dubai meeting” on any such agenda.
“The attempt to drag other political actors into this fabricated beer parlour tale does not elevate its credibility; it merely exposes the desperation behind it.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s political engagements are broad-based, principled, and national in scope — not the narrow, transactional theatrics invented in that publication.
“The story is not insider information. It is insider fiction — manufactured to mislead, distract, and provoke.
“It is unfortunate that certain individuals, long deprived of credibility and political gravitas, now attempt to manufacture relevance by inventing tales around serious national figures. Falsehood may trend for a moment, but it collapses under the weight of truth.
“Atiku Abubakar does not transact politics in secrecy, bribery, or transactional desperation as mischievously and irresponsibly portrayed. He remains focused on principled engagement and national redemption — not backroom theatrics designed by attention-seekers.
“We advise the public to treat the publication with the contempt it deserves.”


