Former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reacted to the power-sharing agreement with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
“I was told that nearly 45 clerics were gathered and informed about this story. They were told that I had agreed to a deal where Atiku would serve for four years, I would serve another four years, and Peter Obi would serve for eight years. This is completely false; such an agreement never existed.” …CONTINUE READING
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso described the rumors as baseless and malicious, alleging that Atiku’s allies had been engaging clerics and regional leaders to spread the false narrative.
“This issue deeply angers me, to hear that respected elders are spreading lies about something that never happened,” Kwankwaso said.
“I was told that nearly 45 clerics were gathered and informed about this fabricated story. They were told that I had agreed to a deal where Atiku would serve for four years, I would serve another four years, and Peter Obi would serve for eight years. This is completely false; such an agreement never existed.”
Kwankwaso emphasized that since leaving the PDP for the NNPP, he and his supporters have enjoyed peace and freedom from what he referred to as the “humiliation” they endured in the PDP.
“Such lies and deceit are precisely why we left. Myself, Peter Obi, Wike, and others all left. Now they are coming back, asking us to help those who humiliated us to achieve their goals,” he added.
The former governor also addressed calls for Kano State Governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, to distance himself from him, referring specifically to the movement “Abba Tsaya Da Ƙafarka” (Abba, Stand on Your Own).
Kwankwaso described the movement as an attempt to create division between him and the governor.
“What people fail to understand is that Kwankwasiyya is a movement, not just a political party. People believe in us, so if a governor or legislator we endorsed fails to meet expectations, it’s not just their name that will be criticised; they will say Kwankwasiyya has failed,” he said.
He further denied interfering in Kano State’s government affairs, reiterating that his role has been limited to offering advice when asked.
“From the start, I made it clear that I would only give advice if asked. That is exactly what I have been doing, and even then, it is only upon request,” he clarified.
Kwankwaso alleged that those encouraging Governor Yusuf to sever ties with the Kwankwasiyya movement have ulterior motives.
“Some prominent individuals think that if Abba stands alone and leaves Kwankwasiyya, they might have a chance to take over. They hope to capitalise on any errors he makes, dragging him and us down in the process to achieve their selfish goals,” Kwankwaso said.
He commended Governor Yusuf for his loyalty and urged him to remain steadfast in resisting political actors seeking to create a divide for their self-serving interests.
