Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has declined an invitation by the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC)’, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to join his party.
The Governor said he has no plans to dump the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) for the APC.
Governor Yusuf, the only NNPP governor in Nigeria, a fortnight ago, survived a legal battle with the APC when Supreme Court affirmed his election as the governor of Kano state.
But on Thursday, January 25, Ganduje during a stakeholder meeting at the party’s Secretariat in Kano invited Yusuf and two other former governors of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau to join APC.
Replying through his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf rejected Ganduje’s invitation, informing him that he has no plans to exit from NNPP.
Bature said: “We heard that he (Ganduje) is begging for the Governor to join the APC. What is surprising is Ganduje as a former Governor and former Deputy Governor, knows better than anyone the right channel to send a message to a sitting Governor.”
“His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf does not have plans to leave his part, or will not leave the party.
“Changing a political party is like changing a house. You just cannot wake up, pack your bags and say I have left my party. There are things to be done before you decide to change your house.”
Our Correspondent reports that Dr Ganduje, on Thursday, told former Governors Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf that the doors of APC are widely open to receive them as bonafide members of the party.
Ganduje urged them to make hate and join the ruling party with their supporters.
Ganduje stated this during a stakeholder meeting with party members in Kano.
According to him, the party would commence e-registration and the target was to have the highest number of members from the state and also a one-party state.
He added that talks have reached an advanced stage with other smaller parties nationwide and more Governors, and lawmakers would soon dump their parties and join the ruling party.
According to him, “our hands are open for other political parties to join our party.
We call on the Governor of Kano State and all the supporters of NNPP to join our party. We are assuring him of a very good environment in our party, the APC.
His coming to the party will strengthen the APC at the state and national level and will drive development to Kano State as the most populous state in the federation.
“If we can do it at national levels, why can’t we do it at the state level? We will soon commence e-registration and our target is to have the highest number of members in Kano and to have one-party state in Kano.
“We are in talks with smaller parties to dump their parties and join the APC. And soon, Governors, Senators and others would join our party.”
Among those who attended the meeting were the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, former House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, and Kano State party Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.