The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Monday officially received the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, into the All Progressives Congress at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
The event attracted a massive crowd of supporters, leading to heavy security deployment within and around the stadium.
Supporters of the ruling party trooped to the venue in branded caps and shirts bearing the images of President Bola Tinubu, Yusuf and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin among others.
Security operatives drawn from the Nigerian Army, Police, Department of State Services and other agencies were stationed at strategic points, while major roads leading to the stadium witnessed restricted vehicular movement.
Attendees were also subjected to security screening at entry points.
Speaking at the rally, Shettima described Kano as a critical state in Nigeria’s political history, saying its influence transcends election figures.
“Kano is too big to play in the periphery. Kano is so important that we cannot afford Kano to be on the sidelines,” he said.
The Vice President also announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the release of N6bn to Kano State to cushion the impact of the recent fire outbreak at Singa Market.
He added that the APC Governors’ Forum, chaired by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, pledged N3bn support, bringing the total intervention to N8bn.
In his remarks, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, welcomed Yusuf into the party, describing APC as the “biggest progressive family in Africa.”
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Yusuf, while addressing supporters, said his defection was informed by the need to reposition Kano for development through closer cooperation with the Federal Government.
He said the previous political platform no longer provided stability for effective governance, citing internal disagreements and distractions.
“Kano is too large, too strategic, and too important to be politically disconnected from the centre,” Yusuf said.
The governor assured residents that the move would not affect his commitment to fair governance and service delivery.
Prominent APC leaders at the event included former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje; Minister of State for Housing, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata; Senators Kabiru Gaya, Kawu Sumaila and other party stakeholders.
Governors present included Uba Sani (Kaduna), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto) and Hope Uzodimma (Imo).
