The Kano State Government has issued a formal directive to supporters of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, warning that any insults or inflammatory remarks directed at the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, will result in disciplinary sanctions. The move aims to maintain public order following the Governor's high-profile resignation from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
The warning was delivered Saturday, January 24, 2026, by the Director General of Media and Publicity at Government House, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa. Speaking during an event for the distribution of motorcycles to residents, Tofa emphasised that the administration would not tolerate acts of indiscipline or disrespect toward the former governor, regardless of the shifting political landscape.
"We will not accept indiscipline or insults against the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso," Tofa stated in a report by Punch Nigeria. "Anybody who engages in such behaviour will face the consequences. We will not accept it." He further urged the Governor’s supporters to exercise "restraint and maturity" during this period of heightened political realignment.
The directive comes less than 24 hours after Governor Yusuf formally resigned his membership from the NNPP on Friday, January 23, 2026. In a resignation letter addressed to his ward chairman, the Governor cited "persistent internal challenges", "leadership disagreements", and "ongoing legal processes" as the primary drivers for his exit. The Governor’s resignation was followed by a mass defection of 21 members of the State House of Assembly, eight members of the House of Representatives, and all 44 local government chairmen.
Despite the mass exit—which many analysts view as a precursor to joining the All Progressives Congress (APC)—the state government appears intent on preventing a total breakdown in relations with the Kwankwasiyya loyalists. Tofa noted that Kwankwaso remains a "political leader whose contributions to Kano politics must be recognised," stressing that political differences should not degenerate into personal abuse.
