APC sets up committee to receive Yusuf as Kano braces for high-profile defection rally

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has inaugurated an 82-member committee to formally receive Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf into the ruling party, ahead of a high-profile event scheduled for Monday, February 16, 2026, at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

The committee was constituted by the Kano State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, as preparations intensify for what party leaders describe as a historic political realignment in the state.

According to party officials, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC governors from across the country, and other top federal government functionaries are expected to attend the reception ceremony.

To ensure a seamless event, the 82-member committee has been divided into several sub-committees, including Venue, Security, Health, Emergency and Sanitation, Mobilisation, Protocol, and Publicity, information gathered by BusinessDay indicated.

The Venue Committee is chaired by Bala Mohammed Gwagawarawa. The Security Committee is headed by Umar Malami, with the Director-General of Special Services serving as secretary.

The Health, Emergency and Sanitation Committee is chaired by the state Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran, while Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa will serve as secretary.

The Mobilisation Committee is led by Mohammed Bello Butu-Butu as chairman, with Maaruf Abdullahi Garo as secretary.

For Protocol, Abdullahi Rogo, Director-General of Protocol, will chair the committee, assisted by Ibrahim Zakari Sarina as secretary.

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The Publicity Committee is chaired by Mohammed Garba, with Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa serving as secretary.

Party sources said the broad-based composition of the committees reflects the importance attached to the governor’s formal entry into the APC, describing it as a “strategic political development” for both Kano and the ruling party at the national level.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s defection marks a significant shift in Kano’s political landscape. Elected under a rival political platform, Yusuf rose to power on the back of a strong grassroots movement that challenged the APC’s dominance in the state.

His administration had, until recently, maintained a distinct political identity separate from the APC structure in Kano, which is closely associated with former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other influential party figures.

Political observers say Yusuf’s move to the APC signals a recalibration of alliances ahead of future electoral cycles, as well as an effort to strengthen ties between Kano State and the Federal Government.

The defection is also viewed as part of a broader trend in Nigerian politics, where governors and key political actors realign with the ruling party at the centre to consolidate political influence and access federal support.

Monday’s event is expected to draw thousands of party faithful and supporters to the Sani Abacha Stadium, underscoring Kano’s strategic importance as one of Nigeria’s most populous and politically influential states.

Analysts note that the reception could reshape intra-party dynamics within the APC in Kano, particularly among established party leaders and loyalists who have long controlled the party structure in the state.

For the APC at the national level, securing the support of a sitting governor from Kano is seen as a major boost to its political strength in the North-West region.

As preparations reach their final stages, attention remains fixed on how the political realignment will influence governance, party cohesion, and the broader balance of power in Kano State.

The formal reception on February 16 is widely expected to mark a new chapter in the state’s political history.

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