Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State and the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, has firmly denied rumors of a power-sharing agreement with Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso described these allegations as unfounded and malicious, asserting that Atiku’s camp has been engaging with clerics and regional leaders to spread this false narrative. “This issue deeply angers me; to hear that respected elders are spreading lies about something that never happened,” he stated.
Kwankwaso revealed that he was informed that nearly 45 clerics had been misled into believing there was an agreement in which Atiku would serve for four years, he would then serve for another four years, and Peter Obi would follow for eight years. “This is completely false; such an agreement never existed,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on his departure from the PDP to the NNPP, Kwankwaso expressed a sense of relief from the “humiliation” he and his supporters faced within the PDP. He criticized the party’s attempts to reconcile with those who he claims had previously disrespected them. “Such lies and deceit are precisely why we left. Now they are coming back, asking us to help those who humiliated us to achieve their goals,” he asserted.
The former governor also voiced concern over recent calls for Kano State Governor Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf to distance himself from him. Referring to the controversial movement “Abba Tsaya Da Ƙafarka” (Abba, Stand on Your Own), Kwankwaso viewed this 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 criticized; they will say Kwankwasiyya has failed,” he explained.
Kwankwaso clarified that he does not interfere in the affairs of the Kano State government, stating that he only provides advice when requested. “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 noted.
He accused those advocating for Governor Yusuf to cut ties with the Kwankwasiyya movement of having ulterior motives, suggesting that they aim to exploit any mistakes made by the governor to undermine both him and the movement. “Some prominent individuals think that if Abba stands alone and leaves Kwankwasiyya, they might have a chance to take over,” Kwankwaso said.
He commended Governor Yusuf for his loyalty and urged him to resist the political maneuvering that seeks to create a rift between them for selfish interests.
