Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, has dismissed speculation surrounding the governor’s recent public appearance without the symbolic red cap associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement.

The clarification followed Yusuf’s outing in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, where he attended a gathering alongside other prominent personalities.

His appearance without the red cap sparked reactions in political circles, particularly amid reports of a rift between the governor and his political mentor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Reacting to the development, Dawakin Tofa said there had been no directive asking supporters to stop wearing the red cap, describing the Yola appearance as a special occasion with a specific dress style.

“There has not been any instruction to remove the red cap. This was a special outing in Yola, Adamawa State, where distinguished guests dressed in a particular style. Let us wait; everything has its time,” he said.

The red cap is widely recognised as the symbol of the Kwankwasiyya movement, led by Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and a prominent political figure in northern Nigeria.

Despite Yusuf’s recent defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he and many of his supporters have continued to retain the red cap, a move political observers say has drawn unusual attention.

Dawakin Tofa’s remarks are seen as an effort to downplay suggestions of a widening rift between the governor and Kwankwaso, as analysts continue to monitor developments within Kano’s political landscape.