Former Commissioner for Rural and Community Development in Kano, Abbas Sani Abbast has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Prior to his dismissal from his commissioner role, Abbas was a dedicated member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). His removal came as part of a broader shake-up initiated by Governor Abba Yusuf, who also dismissed Dr. Abdullahi Bichi,
The Secretary to the State Government, along with several other cabinet officials. This decision followed increasing pressure from certain NNPP leaders urging Governor Yusuf to assert stronger control over the state’s governance.
On Saturday, Ismail Mudashir, the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President on Media and Publicity, shared that Abbas made his announcement during a visit to Senator Barau I. Jibrin’s residence in Kano. This defection marks a significant moment, as it reflects a wider trend in which numerous leaders from the NNPP have abandoned the party in recent months.
Over the past six months, a wave of departures has swept through the NNPP, with hundreds of leaders from all 44 local government areas in Kano State leaving the party, along with thousands of their supporters. This movement, referred to as the “Barau Tsunami,” has seen many former NNPP members discarding their red caps—symbolic of the Kwankwsiyya Movement—and embracing the APC.
The ongoing developments signal a dramatic reconfiguration of the political landscape in Kano, as the APC continues to attract disillusioned members of the NNPP as calls continue for a stronger leadership presence in the state.
