Sources familiar with the development told Politics Digest that Governor Yusuf played a key role in facilitating the planned engagement between the President and the former Kano governor.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to hold a crucial meeting with the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as political realignments intensify in Kano State.
The anticipated meeting is coming barely a day after President Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, a long-time political protégé of Kwankwaso, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Sources familiar with the development told Politics Digest that Governor Yusuf played a key role in facilitating the planned engagement between the President and the former Kano governor.
The move, the sources said, followed President Tinubu’s expressed desire to “harmonise key political interests across party lines” ahead of broader consultations towards the 2027 general elections.
Until recently, Kwankwaso had openly resisted any move to align with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and was said to have warned Governor Yusuf against defecting from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
However, his stance appears to have softened in recent weeks.
Speaking to journalists recently, the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate hinted at a possible political shift, stating that he would consider a move if presented with what he described as a “satisfactory offer” from the ruling party.
A senior APC leader from the North-West confirmed that the meeting between President Tinubu and Senator Kwankwaso has been tentatively scheduled for later today (Tuesday), subject to last-minute changes in the President’s itinerary.
“The President is keen on broadening his political base,” the APC chieftain said.
“The meeting is expected this evening, and discussions will likely focus on national stability, political cooperation and the future alignment of forces ahead of 2027.”
The series of high-level engagements has fuelled speculation about the future of the NNPP and the direction of the Kwankwasiyya political structure.
While Governor Yusuf’s camp is reportedly upbeat following his meeting with President Tinubu, it remains unclear whether both Kwankwaso and Yusuf are considering a coordinated exit from the NNPP or pursuing separate political paths.
Political analysts say any realignment of the Kwankwasiyya movement with the APC would amount to a major shake-up in Northern Nigerian politics.
Such a development could also weaken the proposed “Third Force” coalition reportedly being explored by opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, in which Kwankwaso is believed to be a central figure.
For President Tinubu, securing the cooperation of both a sitting Kano governor and the undisputed leader of one of the state’s most influential political movements would significantly strengthen the APC’s grip on Kano, a state widely regarded as a critical battleground in national elections.
Yusuf’s visit to Tinubu at the Presidential Villa came after the President returned from the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in the United Arab Emirates.
Sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations reported that the defection, initially expected in early January, has been repeatedly delayed.
“The APC leadership has resisted granting Yusuf’s demand for a written assurance of an automatic governorship ticket for 2027,” The PUNCH quoted a source as saying.
Yusuf is also reported to be pressing for the right to nominate a minister to represent Kano State in the Federal Executive Council and the authority to replace Kano-based federal appointees with his loyalists, moves that have reportedly created tension with powerful APC figures.
Among them is Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, widely believed to harbour his own governorship ambitions for 2027.