1,331 All Progressives Congress (APC) members from Dawakin Tofa, the hometown of the ruling party’s national chairman, Umar Ganduje, have defected to the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), marking a dramatic political shift. The defectors, who represent 11 wards in Kano State’s Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area, have reaffirmed their loyalty to the NNPP and promised to oppose the APC in the impending 2027 general elections.
Among the defectors are notable political figures, including the former Chairman of Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area, Isyaku Kwa, former House of Assembly aspirant Audu Magaji Tumfafi, and Bashir Sani, the APC Youth Leader for the Takai Organisation. Their defection marks a significant blow to the APC in Kano, a state where political dynamics have long been shaped by prominent figures such as Ganduje and NNPP leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The NNPP Chairman for Dawakin Tofa, Hashimu Dungurawa, formally received the defectors and praised their decision to join the party. He expressed confidence that their involvement would strengthen the NNPP’s position ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking on the reasons behind the defection, Isyaku Kwa criticized Ganduje’s leadership, both during his tenure as Governor of Kano State and in his current role as APC National Chairman. Kwa accused Ganduje of neglecting the Dawakin Tofa area during his eight-year tenure as governor, failing to deliver on key infrastructural and developmental promises. He also cited dissatisfaction with Ganduje’s handling of the party at the national level, particularly accusing him of anti-party activities during the 2023 general elections.
“Ganduje failed to develop our area during his time as governor and has shown poor leadership in managing the APC at the national level. His actions during the 2023 elections, where he was involved in anti-party activities, were the final straw for many of us,” Kwa stated.
Dungurawa, in his remarks, reaffirmed the NNPP’s commitment to promoting socioeconomic growth and infrastructural development under the leadership of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. He assured the defectors that the NNPP would work tirelessly to address the issues that had been neglected by the previous administration and criticized rumors suggesting mass defections from the NNPP to the APC.
“We’ve heard claims that NNPP members are leaving for the APC, but these are baseless. In reality, it is the APC that is losing members, and we are gaining their trust. The NNPP under Kwankwaso’s leadership is focused on progress and development for Kano and the entire nation,” Dungurawa said.
He further dismissed reports that the APC had been receiving defectors from the NNPP, calling it a ploy by the ruling party to distract from its internal struggles.
The political landscape in Kano has been heavily influenced by the rivalry between the APC and the NNPP, with the latter gaining significant traction in recent years, particularly after the 2023 general elections. Under the charismatic leadership of Kwankwaso, the NNPP has been positioning itself as a formidable force, especially among those disillusioned with the APC’s leadership in the state.
