Rufa’i Hanga, senator representing Kano central, and the only opposition lawmaker from the state in the senate, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hanga joined the ruling party on Saturday from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside other leaders and about 136,000 supporters.
He was received by Nentawe Yilwatda, APC national chairman; Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano; and Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state, alongside thousands of supporters at the party’s mega rally held at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
At the event, the party unveiled the Tinubu Support Group, the campaign structure for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
In a video of the event seen by TheCable, Yilwatda, Yusuf and Ganduje could be seen wearing APC-branded caps bearing the Tinubu insignia, alongside about 20 leaders from opposition parties, as they welcomed the defectors into the APC.
In a post on X, Hassan Tukur, senior special assistant on new media to the governor of Kano, listed Hanga; Kabiru Gaya, a former senator and chairman of a faction of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); and Ali Datti Yako, Kano NDC vice-chairman, among the defectors.
Others, according to him, include Badaru Umar, former chairman of Ungogo LGA; Isyaku Danja, former speaker of the Kano state house of assembly; and Yusuf Danbatta, former PDP deputy governorship candidate, alongside their supporters.
Speaking at the event, Ganduje said the gathering was an indication and confirmation that Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda was working.
“We are not surprised because Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a progressive leader who has the foresight to look into the future for the sustainable development of our country,” he said.
Ganduje said the APC’s renewed hope agenda was designed to guide the country’s developmental aspirations, with economic reforms among its key pillars.
He said the reforms had increased government revenue, which had enabled the federal, state and local governments to execute various projects.
Ganduje said the programme was also designed to address economic challenges, including poverty, insecurity, weak institutions and low economic growth.
The defection follows Tuesday’s visit by a group of supporters of Nasiru Gawuna, NDC Kano central senatorial candidate, to the Abba Yusuf at the government house.
According to Sunusi Bature, director-general of media and publicity at the Kano state government house, the visiting team, led by Muhammad Umar, Gawuna’s ally, included Yako; Mansur Gawuna; Uba Mijinyawa (Uba Danzainab); Aminu Faruk; Sani Jibrin; Salisu Muhammad; Musa Indabo; Muhammad Bala; Hassan Abdullahi; and Abdurrahman Muhammad.
On May 5, Hanga defected from the NNPP to the NDC, citing unresolved internal disputes, factional disagreements and leadership conflicts within the party.
His defection letter was formally announced that day during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
With Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, and Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano south, already in the APC, Hanga’s defection leaves the opposition in Kano without representation in the red chamber.
The development, which comes amid the ongoing realignment of political forces across the country, is expected to boost Tinubu’s bid to secure a strong showing in Kano in the 2027 election.
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