The All Progressives Congress (APC) received a major boost in Kano State at the weekend as more than 136,000 new members, including several prominent politicians from opposition parties, formally joined the ruling party during the inauguration of the Tinubu Support Group’s (TSG) new national structure.
The event, held on Saturday at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kofar Mata, drew thousands of supporters, party leaders and dignitaries from across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Founder and Convener of TSG, Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, charged the newly appointed officials of the TSG 2.0 National Structure and State Chapters Executive Committee to begin immediate grassroots mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Faleke described the President as a “marketable product” and pointed to what he called the achievements of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He also urged TSG members to defend the removal of the fuel subsidy amid opposition calls for its reversal, arguing the policy was necessary to reset the economy.
He recalled that the group had been mobilising support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition since 2020, when the outcome was still uncertain, and cautioned the new executives against relying solely on the momentum of the Kano rally, urging sustained grassroots activity instead.
The Director General of the Tinubu Support Groups, Dr Umar Tanko-Yakasai, credited the administration with averting what he described as an imminent economic collapse. He said the President inherited a “shattered and battered economy” and cited a rise in foreign reserves to over $53 billion from $3.89 billion, alongside a drop in inflation to 15.43 percent from more than 34 percent.
He also stated that Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.43 percent in the second quarter of 2026, with nominal GDP at N119.27 trillion, and said the government had cleared more than $78 billion in loans plus an additional $3.5 billion COVID-19 loan. He further claimed FAAC allocations to states had tripled, enabling states to pay salaries without federal bailouts.
Tanko-Yakasai listed other achievements, including the establishment of NELFUND, financial autonomy for local governments, new regional development commissions, and the appointment of over 50 Kano indigenes to federal positions. He also cited the completion of the Kano-Kaduna Expressway and ongoing work on the Gwarzo-Dayi, Katsina and Daura roads.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf welcomed the new members, describing the APC as “a broad platform for all members to contribute meaningfully to the development of Kano State and Nigeria.” He called for unity among party members ahead of the 2027 elections and said the turnout reflected growing support for Tinubu’s candidacy in the state.
Among the prominent defectors received into the party were former senators Rufa’i Sani Hanga, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa; former PDP deputy governorship candidate Baraka Sani; former Kano State House of Assembly Speaker Yusuf Bello Danbatta; and former Special Adviser to the President, Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya, among others.
Speaking for the defectors, Senator Hanga, who represents Kano Central, pledged support for Tinubu and Governor Yusuf ahead of 2027.
The scale of the gathering caused heavy traffic disruption around the stadium, with crowds spilling onto major roads including Kanti Kwari, Kofar Mata, Kurmi markets and IBB Way. Some traders at the Kanti Kwari textile market reportedly closed their shops because of the crowd size.
Former Kano governor and ex-APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje described the Renewed Hope Agenda as a framework designed to tackle poverty, insecurity and slow economic growth, calling Tinubu a progressive leader.
APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda welcomed the defectors and called the turnout unprecedented, saying it signalled a clear path for Tinubu’s second-term bid. Kano APC Chairman Umar Doguwa declared the state firmly in the APC’s camp, while TSG North-West Coordinator Baffa Babba-Dan’agundi credited Faleke’s mentorship for his political growth.
The event also featured the unveiling of the Tinubu Support Campaign Council and closed with the commissioning of the TSG Kano State Head Office and the unveiling of new operational vehicles for the group’s mobilisation activities.
