Less than 24 hours after resigning from membership of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has sacked his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sunusi Surajo.
Surajo, a former Chairman of the Madobi Local Council and a strong ally of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has been replaced by former Special Adviser to former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Mustapha Bakwana, the new appointee, previously served as political adviser under former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The decision comes against the backdrop of strained relations between Governor Yusuf and Senator Kwankwaso, including disputes over alleged coercion of officials during the defection process and questions of loyalty ahead of future elections.
Although the reason for Surajo’s sacking was not yet clear, a social media post by Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, the spokesman for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, confirmed the development.
While Surajo’s sacking may signal a major cabinet reshuffle, Governor Yusuf is opting for a large realignment with fresh power blocs in the ruling party.
In a letter of resignation addressed to the Chairman of his Diso-Chiranchi Ward, Gwale Local Government Area, Yusuf cited deepening internal crises and the need to safeguard the broader interests of the people of Kano as the major reasons for leaving his former party.
He pointed to persistent internal disputes and legal challenges that have continued to unsettle the party’s structure nationwide. According to the Governor, these internal disagreements have widened divisions and weakened cohesion within the party.
But the governor was not alone in dumping the NNPP, as 44 council chairmen, 22 members of the state house of assembly, and 8 federal lawmakers declared total loyalty and pledged to join the governor in the ruling party.
The impending defection, however, has divided the Kwankwasiyya loyalists, with members of the cabinet, including the commissioners and key political appointees, tearing apart.
A credible source told The Guardian that the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulssalam Gwarzo, is aligning with Kwankwaso and will not part with Governor Yusuf.
Efforts to verify the authenticity with the Deputy Governor’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Garba, were unsuccessful, as his phone line was switched off.
However, the deputy governor has failed to join the governor at three consecutive public functions at Government House. He has been cited at Kwankwaso’s residence attending several solidarity engagements.
Other cabinet members who have yet to leave NNPP include the Commissioners for Science and Technology, Dr. Yusuf Kofar-Mata; Special Duties, Nasiru Garo; Sports, Mustapha Kwankwaso; Internal Security, AVM Ibrahim Umar; Humanitarian, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and Women Affairs, Amina Abdullahi.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso has directed his loyalists to prepare for a serious political struggle ahead of 2027, just as he vowed to stand firm on the side of his supporters and promised not to substitute their interests for monetary value.
Addressing loyalists at his Miller Road residence, Kwankwaso pleaded with his supporters to renew their faith in the ideology of Kwankwasiyya and resist any attempt to be bought over with money bags.
“Everyone knows the difficulty of raising funds for a movement. We are proud of you because you are loyal. We are always praying to God for the strength to continue the good work we are doing.
“Be strong and persevere. In this state of ours, we need people like you who are like-minded and progressive in their ideology, not people who will take money and move to the East. You are giving me courage, honestly.
“If not for this kind of doggedness, even I would have been sold. Maybe I would have been caught up in the ideology of the capitalist who doesn’t care about the common poor man.
Let us continue to work hard and gain the attention of our families, friends and neighbours, and let them understand that fighting for freedom is not easy,” Kwankwaso appealed.
