Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has cautioned Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf against any plan to defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that such a move would end in political failure.

Kwankwaso issued the warning amid speculations that Yusuf and some of his associates are concluding arrangements to dump the NNPP for the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general election.

Describing the reported defection as a betrayal of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, the former governor urged his supporters to remain loyal, insisting that history has shown that those who abandoned the movement only enjoyed fleeting political gains before fading into irrelevance.

In a viral video message, Kwankwaso said betrayal has never paid off in politics, stressing that loyalty and consistency are the foundations of lasting political relevance.

“Some people have decided to cross the line to the other side. If you know them, advise them. Nobody in this country or anywhere else has ever succeeded through betrayal. It doesn’t work that way,” he said.

Kwankwaso recalled that since 1999, several individuals who dumped the movement at different times initially recorded temporary successes but eventually lost political relevance.

He encouraged members of the NNPP to reflect on the history of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, noting that personal experience can be a costly teacher in politics.

According to him, loyalty to the movement guarantees stability and continuity, while betrayal only breeds uncertainty and regret.

The former governor also urged party members to prevail on those contemplating defection to reconsider their decision, stressing that collective interest must take precedence over personal ambition.

Governor Yusuf, who was elected in 2023 on the platform of the NNPP, is widely reported to be considering a move to the APC as part of a strategy to strengthen his re-election bid in 2027.