President Bola Tinubu has said his relationship with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will endure despite their political differences and the prospect of competing on different platforms in the January 2027 election.
Tinubu stated this in a birthday message to Kwankwaso, who turned 70 on Wednesday. He recalled their political relationship spanning more than three decades.
The president said their relationship dated back to 1992, when Kwankwaso was a member of the House of Representatives, and he was a senator.
Their paths crossed again in 1999 when both became governors under the democratic transition that ushered in the Fourth Republic.
“As members of the Class of ’99 Governors, we both played pivotal roles in laying the foundation for the democracy the nation enjoys today,” Tinubu said.
He recalled that their political paths later diverged before they reunited in 2013 to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Since then, history and service have kept us intertwined,” the President said.
Tinubu acknowledged Kwankwaso’s record in public office, including his two terms as Kano State governor, his tenure as Minister of Defence, his time as a senator and his presidential bid.
He also described Kwankwaso as an influential figure in Nigerian politics.
However, Tinubu acknowledged that their political differences could place them on opposing sides in the January 2027 election.
“That we are in different political parties and competing on different platforms in the January 2027 election will not remove my affection for Senator Kwankwaso,” he said.
The president wished Kwankwaso good health and personal fulfilment as he marked his birthday.