In a bold and strategic move that has set Kano’s political landscape ablaze, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has reportedly initiated high-level talks with key figures of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), fueling speculations of a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a closed-door meeting held at Barau’s Abuja residence, former Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, and former Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Muhammad Diggol, were among the NNPP bigwigs in attendance. Sources suggest that the discussions centered on the ongoing turmoil within the NNPP and the possibility of defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The meeting comes at a time of heightened political tensions in Kano, with internal strife rocking the NNPP following the sack of Bichi and Diggol from Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration. Their abrupt dismissals, widely seen as part of a power struggle between Kwankwaso’s loyalists and the state government, have deepened divisions within the party.
Bichi’s alleged involvement in the controversial Abba Tsaya Da Kafark (Abba, Hold Your Ground) movement, perceived as an attempt to undermine Governor Yusuf’s authority, has only fueled further suspicions. Amid these fractures, Barau’s intervention is being seen as a calculated attempt to capitalize on the NNPP’s internal crisis and lure its disenchanted chieftains into the APC’s fold.
Confirming the meeting, Barau’s spokesperson, Ismail Mudasir, took to social media, stating that the discussions were focused on the “development of our dear state and country.” However, political analysts argue that the real agenda was far more strategic—destabilizing the NNPP and orchestrating a mass defection to the APC.
With Kano remaining a crucial battleground, this latest political maneuver could reshape the power dynamics in the state. As tensions escalate, the question remains: Is this the beginning of the end for the NNPP in Kano, or will the party fight back against what some are calling a coordinated hijacking by the APC?
