Arise News Editor for Politics, Sumner Sambo claims President Bola Tinubu is not enthused about the defection of Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the lack of commitment from the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Sambo disclosed on Monday, January 19, while speaking on Arise Television's Morning Show.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu's interest in Governor Yusuf is tied to the influence and structure of the Kwankwasiyya movement rather than the governor’s personal political weight.

He explained that without Kwankwaso moving alongside Governor Yusuf to the APC, the governor’s political trajectory would face serious challenges, particularly in using the state’s political structure to deliver Kano for the ruling party.

Sambo further revealed that the planned electronic registration of the APC in Kano State has been stalled. He said the registration exercise, which was expected to commence, was delayed following a directive that Governor Yusuf should be given about a week to be the first to register.

He added that the governor was also tasked with engaging Kwankwaso in further discussions aimed at persuading him to join the APC.

However, Kwankwaso’s continued reluctance to defect has reportedly led to a stalemate in the party’s registration process in the state.

Sambo said: “When you come to the issue of Kano, it’s an exciting development that’s happening there. And I can tell you that it’s a very difficult situation for Governor Abba Yusuf, because President Tinubu seems to be understanding what’s at play right now. And that’s why you can see that even the President is skeptical about Abba Yusuf coming to the APC, because without Kwankwaso joining that ticket in moving into the APC, Abba’s political trajectory will just be a huge challenge. It will face a huge challenge. Because the reason why Tinubu actually went for the governor, it’s not because of the governor himself, but because of the “Kwankwansiya movement”, led by its leader, Kwankwaso, and so that will back Governor Abba Yusuf to use the state structure to be able to deliver the APC.

“Now, President Tinubu is actually divided, having noticed this. Don’t forget, the issue of the E-registration of the APC is supposed to have commenced, but in Kano, I learned that the President said that they should still give the governor, like about a week this week, so that he will be the first person to register, while the governor has also been given an assignment to go and talk more to his leader, Kwankwaso, to move. But now Kwankwaso is still reluctant to move, and as a result of that, the E-registration is at a stalemate right now, and let’s hope that Governor Yusuf will be able to use this, you know, last minute, you know, to see if he can pull in Kwankwaso so that the E-registration will go ahead. But if it doesn’t, then I can tell you he will lose.”