With just 12 days to the May 29 inauguration of the incoming government, president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 presidential poll, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Discussions at the meeting, LEADERSHIP gathered, was not unconnected with the government of national unity the president-elect promised as soon as he was declared winner of the presidential election.
Tinubu had said he would run a government of national unity that would include opposition members in key positions of his administration.
Kwankwaso, who ran on the platform of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), came fourth in the election, winning only Kano State, a stronghold of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The meeting which took place in the French capital on Monday was said to have been brokered by Kwankwaso’s associate, Abdulmumin Jibrin, a former ally of Tinubu.
But there were reports that Tinubu told Kwankwaso to reach out to his political associates on the need to work together in his proposed government of national unity and more meetings were said to have been scheduled.
Kwankwaso’s wife and, Jibrin, an NNPP member-elect, accompanied Kwankwaso to the meeting, while Tinubu’s wife and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, were also part of the meeting from Tinubu’s side.
It learnt that although Tinubu and Kwankwaso held discussions for a couple of minutes, they were yet to conclude talks and would meet again to finalise.
Confirming the meeting, a source in Tinubu’s camp said it also showed that the president-elect was hale and hearty.
He said the duo discussed working together, and possibly reconciling Kwankwaso and Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
The source noted that the reconciliation of the NNPP presidential candidate and Ganduje and as well as the idea of getting Kwankwaso to return to the party topped the meeting’s agenda.
While both had a fruitful discussion, Kwankwaso and Tinubu are expected to have further consultations with their camps. At the meeting, the duo also reflected on their relationship in the National Assembly as far back as 1992.
As of then, the former Kano State governor was the deputy speaker of the House of Reps while Tinubu was a senator.
Others who attended the meeting include the Speaker of the House of Representative Femi Gbajabiamila; Bola Tinubu’s wife, Remi Tinubu, and Kwankwaso’s wife Salamatu.
Party, Associate Debunks Purported Meeting
But when contacted, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and an associate of the party Kwankwanso debunked the purported meeting between their leader and Tinubu in France.
The party said it is not aware of any meeting held between the leader of their party and the president-elect.
LEADERSHIP gathered that Kwankwaso actually left Nigeria Monday and is due to return in three days.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP last night, national publicity secretary of the NNPP, Major Agbo, said they are not aware of any meeting.
“We are also just seeing the report as you can see. It is a social media report and anyone can put it there. We are not aware of any meeting between our leader and the President-elect. If our party had anything to do with Tinubu’s government, we would not hide it. It will be made known,” Agbo said.
Also speaking, an associate of Kwankwaso, ES Shemang, said the purported meeting between Kwankwaso and Tinubu was not true.
“It is not true. There was no such meeting. So, the purported meeting is not true,” he said.
