Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, yesterday, made fresh appointments to consolidate his footholds in Kano ahead of the 2027 polls, as his estranged mentor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, vowed that the governor will regret leaving the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This happened on a day, immediate past governor of Kano, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, declared his readiness to reconcile with Kwankwaso.
Kwankwaso, the NNPP presidential candidate in 2023 and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, had kicked against Yusuf’s defection, which he described as a betrayal of the highest order, saying the governor and his political associates will eventually regret their decision to leave the NNPP.
He said in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service yesterday that Governor Yusuf’s decision to leave the NNPP came as a shock to many Nigerians, adding that he personally found it difficult to come to terms with the development.
According to him, the circumstances surrounding the governor’s exit appear unreal and confusing.
“Many people have approached me saying they believe what happened was part of some arrangement between me and him, or between me and those around him.
“Even I, on several occasions, found it hard to believe that events have unfolded the way they did,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Kano State governor expressed confidence that time will reveal the consequences of the decision, insisting that Governor Yusuf and those who followed him will come to regret abandoning the NNPP.
Kwankwaso said he was deeply disappointed that the governor “handed over the mandate of the NNPP members and the people of Kano to the Gandujiyya political camp” without any strong justification.
He said further: “When I lie down, I reflect and ask myself: what really happened? Who was at fault? Was it me? Was it the party? Were party members at fault? But I have not been able to find an answer.”
The NNPP leader said all the reasons the governor personally gave him or sent others to relay to him for defecting were issues that could have been resolved through dialogue and cooperation.
He also dismissed claims of internal crisis within the NNPP, which Governor Yusuf cited as one of the reasons for leaving the party, insisting that no political party is completely free of grievances.
“I can assure you, to the best of my knowledge, there is no party more peaceful and stable than the NNPP. And if there is any, let them hold their national convention and candidate selection processes, then you will see disputes,” Kwankwaso said.
Commenting on those who have left the NNPP but still claim allegiance to the Kwankwasiyya ideology, he described the situation as a clear case of choosing between light and darkness.
“Light and darkness have already been defined in Kano. If you want to practice Kwankwasiyya, who asked you to leave Kwankwasiyya? Stay where Kwankwasiyya is and practice it there,” he said.
Kwankwaso further said the manner the former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, received Governor Yusuf into the APC and publicly raised his hand was a clear indication that “he has already lost the election.
“If Ganduje truly had the power to raise someone’s hand to victory, he would have done so in 2019. If he had that power, he would have done so in 2023.”
The NNPP leader stressed that he is certain Governor Yusuf and his associates will face serious political challenges in the APC and that, “even if he does not return, he will regret it.”
Kwankwaso also spoke on the future of the Kwankwasiyya movement, saying Kano still belonged to the NNPP and that efforts have already begun to build alliances to rescue Nigeria from its current situation.
However, Ganduje has said he is not ruling out the possibility of reconciling with Kwankwaso.
