Twenty-two members of the Kano State House of Assembly have defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). They announced their move during a plenary session on Monday, shortly after Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf resigned from the NNPP.

Governor Yusuf formally quit the NNPP last Friday in a letter addressed to the Diso-Chiranchi Ward chairman in Gwale Local Government Area. In the letter, he said his decision was due to “deepening internal crises” and “prolonged leadership disputes” inside the party.

The governor’s resignation came after his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. Along with him, eight members of the House of Representatives and all 44 local government chairmen in Kano State also left the NNPP.

Among the state lawmakers who defected are key leaders in the Assembly, including Speaker Jibril Falgore (Rogo) and Deputy Speaker Muhammad Bello Butu Butu (Tofa/Rimin Gado). Several other top officers such as the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, and Chief Whip also joined the APC.

A video shared on social media showed the lawmakers standing in the Assembly chamber as each member publicly declared their defection during the plenary session.

Political observers say this move represents a major shift in Kano State politics and a strengthening of the APC’s position in the state ahead of future elections.