Abba Yusuf’s kinsman in Kano Assembly dumps APC for NDC

A member of the Kano State House of Assembly from the same local government area as Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has defected from the All-Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in a move seen as significant ahead of the 2027 political contest.

Abdulmajid Umar, the lawmaker representing Gwale Constituency, formally joined the NDC on Thursday during a meeting with former Kano State governor and leading NDC figure, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, at his Maitama residence in Abuja.

Gwale Local Government Area is the political base of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, making Umar’s defection one of the notable political developments emerging from the governor’s home constituency.

Also received into the party was former Gwale Local Government Vice Chairman, Hon. Kabiru Sani Auwal Obi, alongside Malam Mahadi Isa Umar.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, through a Facebook post on Thursday. According to the statement, Kwankwaso described the new entrants as a boost to the NDC’s growing political strength in Kano State.

“His Excellency, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, welcomed Hon. Abdulmajid Isa Umar Mai Rigar Fata, member representing Gwale Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, following his defection from the APC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC),” the statement read in part.

Umar was first elected into the Kano State House of Assembly in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) before later aligning with the APC during the wave of defections that affected key political actors in the state.

His latest political switch came barely hours after a Federal High Court ruling that political observers say could reshape alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reacting to the judgment, African Democratic Congress (ADC) spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the court decision had removed restrictions discouraging politicians from seeking alternative political platforms.

According to him, the ruling could trigger a fresh wave of defections from the ruling APC in the coming months.