Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau has formally welcomed Kano State Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf into the All Progressives Congress (APC), announcing a symbolic rebranding of his political support structure to reflect the new alliance.
The ceremony took place at the Kano Government House, where Barau described the governor’s defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the APC as a significant step forward for the state.
In a statement on his verified X handle, Barau emphasized unity and development as the driving forces behind the move.
“Today, we received the Kano State Governor, His Excellency Abba Kabiru Yusuf, into our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Kano Government House,” Barau said.
He directly appealed to his supporters to rally behind the governor. “While welcoming him to the APC during the event, I urged all my supporters and promoters to queue behind the governor for the development of our state, Kano.”
The event featured enthusiastic chants that underscored the political realignment. “When I chanted Nigeria, the mammoth crowd said ‘Sai Tinubu’ and when I said Kano, it was followed by ‘Sai Abba Gida-Gida,’” Barau recounted.
In light of the governor’s integration and the crowd’s response, Barau declared a change in the name of the groups supporting his political aspirations. “To this effect, the various groups promoting my aspirations under the Tinubu/Barau organisation will now be known as the Tinubu, Abba, Barau Organisation.”
Reflecting on his political journey, Barau reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to public service. “My entry into politics over three decades ago was driven by my commitment to serve the people of our beloved state, Kano and the country at large. Nothing more,” he stated.
“By the grace of Allah (SWT), I have remained steadfast in that mission, and I will continue to work for the unity, progress and development of Kano State and the country,” he added.
Barau also used the occasion to reaffirm his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration’s policy framework. “I also want to reassure the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, of my unalloyed commitment to the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda, as we work together to take our country to the next level, where governance truly works for all.”
The rebranding and governor’s defection are seen as efforts to consolidate APC support in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states, ahead of future electoral cycles. Barau’s statement positions the Tinubu, Abba, Barau Organisation as a unified platform for advancing the interests of both the state and the nation under the current administration.
