The former Kano State Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Abbas Sani Abbas, has defected from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Abbas announced his decision during a visit to the Kano residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, on Friday night.
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The defection is part of a growing wave of high-profile exits from the NNPP, with hundreds of party leaders and thousands of supporters abandoning the Kwankwasiyya movement in the past six months. Many defectors have embraced the APC, discarding the iconic red caps associated with the Kwankwasiyya ideology.
Tagged the “Barau Tsunami,” the defections have been linked to dissatisfaction within the NNPP, particularly calls by some leaders for Governor Abba Yusuf to assert greater control over governance. This internal discord led to the recent dismissal of several key officials, including Abbas, the Secretary to the State Government Abdullahi Bichi, and five commissioners.
During his visit, Abbas pledged to work towards the success of the APC in Kano State and beyond. “I am committed to contributing to the development and growth of the APC, and I will ensure our collective goals are achieved,” he said.
Welcoming Abbas, Senator Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, expressed optimism about the party’s future. “The APC is big enough to accommodate all lovers of this country,” Barau said. “We remain committed to promoting good governance, inclusivity, and service to humanity.”
The APC Chairman in Kano State, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, alongside other party leaders, joined Barau in receiving the new member. Barau described Abbas as a dedicated grassroots mobiliser whose contributions would strengthen the party’s mission of building a better future for Kano and Nigeria as a whole.
