Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf held a closed-door meeting on Monday with former governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, amid ongoing political realignments and speculation over the governor’s future in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Details of the discussions between the two influential Kano politicians remained tightly guarded, with no official statement released by either side after the meeting.
The encounter comes at a time of heightened political tension in Kano, Nigeria’s most populous state, where Governor Yusuf – who rode to power on the NNPP platform backed by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso – has faced persistent rumours of a possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shekarau, a seasoned politician and former presidential candidate, has in recent months publicly defended Yusuf against accusations of betrayal, arguing that political realignments are normal and that Kwankwaso himself had defected multiple times in the past.
Analysts see the closed-door meeting as potentially significant in the unfolding power play ahead of the 2027 elections. Shekarau, who has maintained influence in Kano politics despite his exit from the NNPP, could play a key bridging role if Yusuf moves towards the APC.
Kano remains a critical battleground state, and any shift in allegiance by Yusuf could reshape the political landscape in northern Nigeria and affect the balance of power at the federal level.
Neither the governor’s office nor Shekarau’s team has commented on the agenda of the meeting or its outcome.