- Sources within Government House said that the reshuffle is part of a wider political reorganisation
- Senator Kwankwaso urged members of the movement to remain resolute
- He warned against sacrificing principles for personal gain
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has made his first major political move barely 24 hours after announcing his resignation from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), relieving his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sunusi Surajo, of his duties.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Surajo, a former chairman of Madobi Local Government Area and a key member of the Kwankwasiyya political bloc, was dropped and replaced with Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, a former aide to the immediate past administration and ex-national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The development has further fueled speculations about a realignment of political forces within the state.
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The governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa, confirmed the decision via a brief social media update, without giving reasons for the change.
Sources within Government House said that the reshuffle is part of a wider political reorganisation following Yusuf’s exit from the NNPP, a party he recently accused of prolonged internal crises and leadership wrangling.
In his resignation letter addressed to the NNPP chairman of Diso-Chiranchi Ward in Gwale Local Government Area, the governor said his decision was taken in the overall interest of Kano residents.
According to him, persistent internal disputes and legal battles within the party had weakened its cohesion and distracted it from its responsibilities to the people.
Yusuf’s departure from the NNPP has since triggered a chain reaction, with 44 local government chairmen, 22 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, and eight federal lawmakers openly declaring their support for the governor.
However, the development has also exposed cracks within the Kwankwaso movement. A senior political source disclosed that Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo has chosen to remain loyal to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and is not expected to follow the governor in defecting.
Political watchers have also pointed to Gwarzo’s absence from three consecutive official functions at the Government House, noting that he has instead been seen attending meetings at Kwankwaso’s residence along Miller Road in Kano.
Meanwhile, several commissioners and top government officials have opted to remain in the NNPP despite the unfolding political shifts.
Those staying back include the commissioners for science and technology, Dr. Yusuf Kofar-Mata; special duties, Nasiru Garo; sports, Mustapha Kwankwaso; internal security, AVM Ibrahim Umar (retd.); humanitarian affairs, Adamu Kibiya; and women affairs, Amina Abdullahi.
Addressing his supporters in Kano, Senator Kwankwaso urged members of the movement to remain resolute as the state braces for a fierce political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He warned against sacrificing principles for personal gain, stressing that loyalty and ideological commitment, not money, should define the struggle.
“The journey is not easy, but it is worth sustaining,” Kwankwaso told supporters, calling for patience and steadfastness in the face of ongoing defections.
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