Deputy Senate President Breaks Silence Over Defection of Kano Gov to APC
- The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed APC leaders in Kano to fully support Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ahead of his defection
- Barau described Yusuf’s defection as a major gain for the All Progressives Congress and urged party members to drop personal ambitions for unity
- The Deputy Senate President announced the rebranding of his political support group to reflect the new political alignment in Kano
FCT, Abuja - The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State to fully support Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ahead of his defection to the ruling party.
Barau made the disclosure on Tuesday, January 27, while speaking with journalists in Kano, stressing that the President’s directive was aimed at fostering unity, cooperation and effective governance in the state.
Source: Facebook
According to him, President Tinubu advised party stakeholders to work closely with Governor Yusuf and avoid actions that could distract him from delivering good governance to the people of Kano State.
APC gains Kano governor, Barau declares
Expressing satisfaction over the development, the Deputy Senate President described the governor’s defection as a major gain for the APC.
“It is a day I will sleep happily because our party has gained a governor. For over a year, we have been receiving decampees from different parties, including the NNPP. Now, by God’s mercy, we have received a sitting governor of a state like Kano,” Barau said.
He noted that the focus of the party in Kano must now shift towards supporting Governor Yusuf to succeed, emphasising that unity within the APC was critical to development.
“What is important now is to support him and also advise him, including with prayers. The situation in Kano demands that we come together in a democratic way to help him succeed,” he added.
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Kano govt explains what Governor Yusuf seeks to achieve in APC, says defection not personal
Political ambitions must give way to unity
Barau said that following the governor’s entry into the APC, all forms of political rivalry and personal ambition within the party should be set aside in the interest of stability and progress.
“That is why we said issues of aspirations and contests should be dropped. I have dropped mine. If truly we are for the people, then we must support him,” he stated.
He warned that denying Governor Yusuf the opportunity to secure a second term would undermine ongoing efforts and negatively affect governance in the state.
Drawing from his political experience, Barau recalled instances where he stepped aside for party unity, including during contests for leadership positions in the National Assembly and previous governorship races in Kano.
“I have always believed in sacrifice for the collective good. If the governor had been in the APC from the beginning, I would not even have talked about contesting. Now that he is in our party, we must support him fully,” he said.
Governor free to govern without pressure
The Deputy Senate President stressed that Governor Yusuf was now free to run the government without undue pressure from party leaders, including in the appointment of commissioners.
“The governor is at liberty to appoint commissioners. We will not push him. If he asks me to nominate, I will, but we will not distract him,” Barau said.
He added that President Tinubu understood the complexities of politics and had encouraged APC leaders in Kano to embrace the governor as one family.
“For him to join us, we are now brothers from the same mother. We did not push anyone to join us; they came willingly because of the good policies of the APC,” he said.
Barau also attributed the growing wave of defections to the APC to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration, which he said was attracting politicians seeking to deliver more dividends of democracy.
Support group rebranded to reflect new alignment
Meanwhile, Barau announced the rebranding of his political support structure to reflect the new political alignment in Kano State.
He said the Tinubu/Barau Organisation would now be known as the Tinubu, Abba, Barau Organisation.
“In welcoming the governor, I urged all my supporters to queue behind him for the development of Kano State. When I said Nigeria, the crowd responded ‘Sai Tinubu,’ and when I said Kano, they replied ‘Sai Abba Gida-Gida,’” he said.
Reaffirming his commitment to public service, Barau said his more than three decades in politics had been guided by a desire to serve the people of Kano State and Nigeria.
“I also reassure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of my unalloyed commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda, as we work together to take Nigeria to the next level where governance works for all,” he added.
Kwankwaso’s son resigns as Kano commissioner
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, son of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) national leader Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, resigned as commissioner for youth and sports development and as a member of the Kano state Executive Council (SEC) under the Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf-led administration.
The development was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday, January 26, by Imran Muhammad, the senior special assistant on new media to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, confirming Mustapha’s decision.
Source: Legit.ng
