The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has declared its readiness to welcome Governor Abba Yusuf should he decide to defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The party’s state chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, said the APC would not turn away any politician willing to join its fold, noting that political success is largely driven by strength in numbers.
“He is welcome to our party, because politically no right-thinking politician will reject an addition,” Abbas said. “Politics is a game of numbers, and defection into your party means increasing your chances of success at the polls.”
Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, Abbas said the APC’s position on accepting defectors has always been clear.
“We have made our point clear on several occasions that we will welcome anyone who has seen the beauty of our party and wants to join us,” he stated.
Addressing concerns about automatic tickets for defectors, Abbas described such discussions as premature.
“That is not an issue for now. It will only arise when all processes are completed and whoever is coming has finalized his or her defection,” he said.
He added that Governor Yusuf would not be defecting alone, should the move materialise.
“There are elected local government chairmen, councillors and other political office holders that will defect to our party with him,” Abbas disclosed.
According to the APC chairman, strategic discussions would only begin after the defection process is concluded.
“When everything has been finalized, we will sit down and map out a strategy that will benefit everyone,” he said, stressing that the party’s primary focus is winning the 2027 general elections.
“We await his coming, and we will work out a modality that will ensure the success of the party in a unanimous manner, without any form of crisis between old and new members,” Abbas assured.
Sharing his personal opinion, he added that incumbency often plays a decisive role in Nigerian politics.
“I believe in Nigerian political contests, it is very hard for an incumbent governor to fail the primaries,” he said.
Abbas also dismissed reports suggesting delays in Governor Yusuf’s defection, describing them as mere speculation.
“The governor did not openly declare that he was coming to APC on a particular date,” he said.
He explained that the defection of a sitting governor requires careful planning and due process.
“A governor’s defection is not something one can just wake up one day and announce. There are processes involved, and until those processes are duly followed and completed, the defection remains a plan yet to be executed,” Abbas added.
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