As the defection of Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) continued to generate public discourse nationwide, three former chieftains of the party have defended the decision, describing it not as an act of abandonment but as a strategic move aimed at protecting his mandate and ensuring effective governance for the people of Kano State.
In a joint press statement signed by Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, former National Chairman of the party; Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, former National Organising Secretary; and Professor Ben Angwe, former National Legal Adviser, on Sunday, the former party leaders said the governor's decision must be viewed against the backdrop of prolonged internal instability within the party.
According to the statement, individuals who closely followed developments within the NNPP ahead of the 2023 general election would attest that the implosion of the Kano State chapter was inevitable.
They noted that the party was already engulfed in uncertainty, internal disputes, and structural weaknesses long before the polls.
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They argued that the NNPP was largely built on sentiments rather than political realities, on dominant personalities rather than durable institutions, and on personal loyalty instead of legitimate organisational discipline.
The trio stressed that such a foundation made the party vulnerable to persistent internal crises.
"A party built on the aforementioned factors can hardly escape internal conflicts and organisational breakdown," the statement read.
They further described the arrangement that produced the NNPP in Kano State as artificial and ad hoc, insisting that it lacked the institutional depth and cohesion required to withstand the test of time or support stable governance.
Commending Governor Yusuf for what they described as a bold and timely political decision, the former party leaders maintained that Kano State could not afford a distracted governor held hostage by endless internal party quarrels, validation battles, and power struggles.
"The good people of Kano State deserve and demand leadership, quality leadership,that requires oxygen to function, not suffocation by insatiable personal and selfish interests," they stated.
The ex-NNPP leaders also noted that political realignments were not unusual in Nigeria's democratic process. However, they stressed that what distinguishes Governor Yusuf's decision from others was the timing and clarity with which it was taken.
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They emphasised that the governor neither acted out of panic nor fear, and that his decision was not driven by desperation.
"Rather, he moved at a time when he still had leverage, clarity of purpose, and the necessary momentum to drive the process through to its logical conclusion in the interest of good governance," the statement concluded.
