Come clear, tell Nigerians what is pulling you, other governors to APC, NNPP challenges Kano’s Abba Yusuf

*’There is no internal crisis in NNPP’ – Spokesman 

*Don’t let them receive you that they don’t know where they are going, their destination is APC – Ladipo Johnson 

*Says they will announce joining APC in two days

*Tells why it is Gov Yusuf that will have sleepless nights 

By KEMI KASUMU

“Of course, you see when you want to make a move, if you have the gut, make a move. First thing they came to say to the world they were moving with Senator Kwankwaso and the man came out to say nothing like that. They tried to use his his name so that they could get the masses of Kano in their side.”

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has debunked claim by Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, that his resignation from membership was due to internal crisis within the party.

National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Bamofin Ladipo Johnson, made this refutation while featuring on the TVC in an interview night of Friday January 23, 2026.

The DEFENDER had earlier reported reactions of the party to the action of the governor, where it described it as “A cold betrayal of a sacred trust”.

There was the question of “irredeemable” crisis leading to the governor’s resignation and the counter that there is no internal crisis as the party is functioning winning recent supplementary elections.

During the television interview, asked ‘if the party was functioning effectively, where exactly did the breakdown occur between the governor and the party, Johnson maintained that, “The party is functioning and, as you said, we held our convention in December (2025) the governor was in attendance. I think you should know very clearly that there is no internal crisis.”

Continuing he said, In fact they tried to instigate crisis in Kano just so they could be doing what they are doing and you know the funny thing is that I was just watching your news now, and really his letter of resignation is not a letter of resignation because the structures from State down to the wards have been dissolved, INEC is in possession of that and so it is just joke and a hoax and it is a shame that it has come to this.

“Of course, you see when you want to make a move, if you have the gut, make a move. First thing they came to say to the world they were moving with Senator Kwankwaso and the man came out to say nothing like that. They tried to use his his name so that they could get the masses of Kano in their side.

“And the man said, ‘No. You can go if you want to go. You are betraying the trust.’ It’s not Kwankwasiyyah or NNPP he’s betraying. It’s the over one million indigenes of Kano, voters that voted for him, stood by US all the way to the Supreme Court and said they were doing it because of the bad leadership of APC and Ganduje for eight years. And then you now go – because of whatever you have personally – to give it back to them as a gift.

“That is where the issue is. It’s not with the NNPP. It’s with the masses of Kano and we’ve been getting phone calls and we are going to see it at the next poll.”

Taken up on his reference to Abubakar Rimi experience of the early 80s and that history will repeat itself in 2027, the NNPP spokesman was reminded what the people are saying that the political terrain is very different and then asked what lessons did the NNPP itself failed to apply early enough to prevent this rupture with a sitting governor in fact the only governor of the party.

Responding Ladipo Johnson said, “Sorry sir, you tell me the rupture. There is no rupture. You have cases of some people in court, people who have been expelled and the court says they’ve been expelled and those are the cases in court. Where is the rupture? There is no push.

“There was a pull and it is only Governor Abba Yusuf and his aides that can tell you the truth about what what pulled them and is pulling other governors into the APC. So, don’t let us waste time on internal crisis. There is no internal crisis in the NNPP. We had our convention, all the states except Kano that has been dissolved now, they had their congresses as well.

“So, there is no internal crisis. There was a pull. What is it that attracted him? Let them have the gut to come out to tell Nigerians the truth because the people of Kano know. The masses know and the truth will come out. Ladipo Johnson will not tell you. The truth will come out and you will see what will happen next year’s election.

“That is if he even wins the primary of the APC and that is where they are going. Don’t let them tell you they don’t know where they are going, they will announce it in two days,” he said.

On strategy of retaining the loyalty of Kano voters after losing its most powerful public officer holder, Bamofin Johnson assured, ‘Well I tell you this, already you have more people – this is a grassroots work – coming in because they feel disgusted with what has happened. They feel disgusted that personal interest has overridden the public good. Do you understand? That is one.

“Two, the Kwankwasiyyah Movement is bigger. The NNPP is bigger than those who are in office and have to hold on to their offices and that is why they are moving with the governor.

“Even the governor doesn’t know who are loyal to him because Senator Kwankwaso said to the members of the Assembly, members of House of Representatives and the local governments chairmen, “Go with them, if it means you are going to lose your job, just go with them.”

“In fact, it is the governor that’s going to have a sleepless night because he will be wondering which of the 44 local governments chairmen are actually loyal to him. And I tell you he doesn’t have many.

“But we are working. We have been meeting, we have been strategising. I know with mine a few weeks we will be seeing the alliances or the marriages we have entered into as a national party towards 2027. I have no doubt that the NNPP in whichever form it takes.”

Told only the time will tell, he replied the anchor m, “Very realistic. I’m different from an optimist. I’m very realistic.”