Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has revealed plans by his administration and political allies to secure at least one million votes from Yoruba and other non-indigenous communities in the state for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Yusuf made the disclosure on Saturday at an empowerment programme organised by the lawmaker representing Yagba Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Leke Joseph Abejide.
The event featured the launch of a N500 million interest-free revolving loan scheme for women and widows living in Kano.
Abejide, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Asiwaju of the Yoruba community in Kano, said the initiative was his way of giving back to the city, which he described as his second home after spending more than three decades there.
According to him, the loan scheme will support women organised into cooperative societies based on the size and needs of their businesses. Widows will also receive direct financial assistance through their bank accounts.
Beneficiaries will additionally receive rice and six yards of printed wax fabric.
The programme is targeted at Yoruba communities from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi and Kwara, as well as Ebira, Igala and Bassa communities from Kogi State residing in Kano.
Abejide said he was backing Tinubu, Governor Yusuf and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, urging beneficiaries to reciprocate the support at the polls.
He said Tinubu’s relatively low vote haul in Kano during the 2023 presidential election had motivated him to mobilise the state’s large non-indigene population.
“We are targeting no fewer than one million votes from Yoruba and other non-indigene communities across the 44 local government areas of Kano for President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf in 2027.”
Governor Yusuf also urged lawmakers across the country to emulate the initiative by supporting Nigerians irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.
He said such interventions would strengthen national unity, peaceful coexistence and democratic participation.
The event also featured the launch of a N3 billion fundraising drive for the construction of an ultra-modern palace for the Oba of Yoruba in Kano.
Abejide pledged N220 million, while two of his associates donated N200 million and N500 million respectively. The Kano State Government also pledged N100 million.
The event was attended by political leaders, traditional representatives, and members of Yoruba and other non-indigenous communities in Kano.
