The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, once hailed as Nigeria’s fastest rising political platform ahead of the 2023 general elections, is facing a deepening internal crisis that now threatens its grip on Kano State.
Powered by the political structure of its national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP rode a wave of popular support to dislodge the All Progressives Congress, APC, and secure victory in Kano. Less than three years into governance, however, that momentum appears to be faltering as factional battles intensify within the party.
The crisis has reportedly pushed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to consider defecting to the APC, a development that has widened the rift between his camp and loyalists of Kwankwaso, effectively splitting the party into two rival blocs.
The trouble began with a controversial change of the party’s logo, when a Kwankwaso aligned faction replaced the familiar basket of fruits with a book and graduation cap. The move triggered a wave of legal disputes that plunged the party into uncertainty and exposed deep internal divisions.
Sources within the Kano State Government said that the unresolved crisis has influenced Governor Yusuf’s alleged decision to explore options outside the NNPP as he weighs his political future and a possible second term bid.
The reported move has angered the Kwankwaso camp, which views it as a betrayal of the movement and the voters who brought the party to power in Kano.
Governor Yusuf’s camp is said to enjoy the backing of the Speaker and a majority of members of the Kano State House of Assembly, many commissioners, members of the State Executive Council, local government chairmen under ALGON, councillors, members of the House of Representatives, and several political appointees.
In contrast, the Kwankwaso camp counts the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the Head of Service, the party’s only serving senator, Senator Rufai Hanga, the embattled state chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, some commissioners, and other loyal appointees among its ranks.
Reacting to reports of a looming defection, the Kwankwaso backed NNPP chairman in Kano State, Hashimu Dungurawa, said any plan by the governor or party members to defect was without the consent of the party.
Dungurawa appealed to those considering defection to have a rethink, warning that such a step would amount to a betrayal of the masses.
“On behalf of the NNPP in Kano State and at the national level, and all segments of this movement, including our youths, women and patriotic citizens, we are aware of developments involving individuals planning to defect to the APC,” he said.
“I want to make it clear that the Kano State party, the national party and our national leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, do not approve of this move. We have done everything possible to persuade them to be patient and remain in the party.”
He urged members to stay committed to the party’s manifesto and continue working to improve education, agriculture, commerce, and other key sectors.
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The crisis has been further complicated by a leadership tussle within the party’s Kano chapter. Executive members of the NNPP at Gargari Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area announced the expulsion of Dungurawa, accusing him of promoting division, failing to pay party dues, and making abusive remarks against the governor.
The party’s National Working Committee swiftly nullified the action, describing it as undemocratic and of no effect, and reaffirmed Dungurawa as the legitimate state chairman. However, a Kano State High Court later restrained him from parading himself as chairman pending the determination of the suit, throwing the party deeper into confusion.
Despite the controversy, there seems to be no going back on Governor Yusuf’s alleged defection plan. According to the source, the governor fears that prolonged internal disputes could undermine his re-election chances, prompting him to explore alternatives within the APC to avoid a repeat of the Zamfara experience, where internal party conflicts cost a sitting government its mandate.
The move is said to have angered Kwankwaso, who reportedly told loyalists at his Miller Road residence that he wished the development was nothing more than a bad dream.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who was away in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj as the crisis escalated, has openly pitched his tent with Kwankwaso. Although a birthday message he sent to Governor Yusuf briefly sparked speculation of reconciliation, his public appearance alongside Kwankwaso after returning from Saudi Arabia ended any doubt about where his loyalty lies.
As tensions continue to rise, the unfolding battle between the Yusuf and Kwankwaso camps has left the NNPP’s future in Kano hanging in the balance, with far reaching implications for the state’s political landscape ahead of the next election cycle.
