Kwankwaso betrayal day declaration follows Kano Governor Abba Yusuf’s defection from NNPP, deepening political tension in the state

Former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared January 23 a symbolic Kwankwaso betrayal day, following the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the party.

Also read: NNPP Denies Kwankwaso Endorsed Kano Governor’s Defection

Kwankwaso made the declaration on Friday while addressing supporters in Kano, shortly after Yusuf formally resigned from the NNPP ahead of his reported move to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

According to the former Kano governor, the date should be permanently remembered as a reminder of what he described as a grave breach of trust and political loyalty.

“Today, as the leader of this movement, I declare the 23rd of January as Betrayal Day,” Kwankwaso said. He added that the date should be etched into history to ensure lasting awareness of betrayal and the consequences of broken trust in politics.

Kwankwaso disclosed that he had personally appealed to Yusuf to remain in the NNPP, warning that the mandate secured through collective struggle should not be surrendered to political rivals.

He argued that the victory which brought the governor to office was hard-fought and symbolised the will of the people of Kano, insisting that abandoning the party undermined that trust.

The declaration of Kwankwaso betrayal day has intensified political tension in Kano State and sparked strong reactions within the NNPP, with party loyalists expressing disappointment over the governor’s decision.

Observers say the defection could reshape the political landscape in Kano, given Kwankwaso’s long-standing influence in the state and his role in the emergence of the NNPP as a major political force there.

Also read: Rabiu Kwankwaso Sets Tough Conditions for Joining APC

As the fallout continues, the episode highlights growing realignments ahead of future elections, with Kwankwaso betrayal day now positioned as a symbolic marker in the party’s narrative of loyalty and opposition politics.