The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State would in due course regret abandoning the party that brought them to power and joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso, who stated this while appraising the circumstances that led to the defection of Governor Yusuf, during an interview with the BBC, expressed serious concerns and disbelief over the development, stressing that Governor Yusuf’s exit from the NNPP came as a rude shock, not only to the party supporters, but to him personally.
He noted that the exit of Yusuf from the NNPP initially felt unreal, adding that many people he spoke with felt it was some kind of arrangement between both of them and others.
Kwankwaso specifically said that he felt disappointed that Governor Yusuf handed over the mandate of the NNPP members and the people of Kano to the Gandujiyya political camp” without any convincing justification.
Kwankwaso, who was also a two-term governor of Kano State, pointedly said that all the reasons adduced by Governor Yusuf either personally presented to him or sent through intermediaries, were issues that could have been resolved through dialogue, patience, and cooperation.
He specifically rejected claims of an internal crisis within the NNPP being one of the reasons cited by Governor Yusuf for defecting, emphasising that disagreement is a normal feature of political parties.
In the words of Kwankwaso; “The defection has left me with unanswered questions and personal reflection. 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.
“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,” he said.
Kwankwaso particularly took note at the manner in which former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje received Governor Yusuf into the APC, stressing that the public display was politically hollow.
He further said; “The act of Ganduje publicly raising Yusuf’s hand was a clear sign that the governor 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”.
Kwankwaso said that he is convinced beyond doubt that Governor Yusuf and his associates will face serious political challenges within the APC, stressing that even if the governor never returns to the NNPP, he will surely regret it.
Kwankwaso insists that Kano remains firmly within the NNPP fold, saying that efforts are underway to build alliances aimed at rescuing Nigeria from its current challenges.
