A former Kano State governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has denied entering into 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 the rumours as unfounded and malicious, alleging that Atiku’s camp had met with clerics and regional leaders to propagate the claim.
“This issue deeply angers me to hear that respected elders are spreading lies about something that never happened,” Kwankwaso said.
“I was told that nearly 45 clerics were gathered and informed about this fabricated story. They were told that I had agreed to a deal where Atiku would serve four years, I would serve another four years, and Peter Obi would serve eight years. This is completely false; such an agreement never existed.”
The former governor added that since leaving the PDP for the NNPP, he has found peace and a sense of relief from what he called the “humiliation” he and his supporters endured in the PDP.
“Such lies and deceit are precisely why we left. I, Peter Obi, Wike, and others are all left. Now they are coming back, asking us to help those who humiliated us to achieve their goals,” he claimed.
Kwankwaso also expressed concern over recent calls for Kano State Governor, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, to distance himself from him.
Referring to a controversial movement, “Abba Tsaya Da Ƙafarka” (Abba, Stand on Your Own), Kwankwaso said the move was an attempt to create division between him and the governor.
“People fail to understand 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 criticised; they will say Kwankwasiyya has failed,” Kwankwaso said.
He further denied interfering in Kano State’s government affairs, stating that he only provides advice when requested. “From the start, I clarified that I would only advise if asked. That is exactly what I have been doing, and even then, it is only upon request,” he clarified.
Kwankwaso alleged that those pushing Governor Yusuf to sever ties with the Kwankwasiyya movement have ulterior motives.
He claimed that their ultimate aim was to exploit any mistakes the governor made 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.
They hope to capitalise on any errors he makes, dragging him and us down to achieve their selfish goals,” Kwankwaso said.
The former governor commended Governor Yusuf for his loyalty and urged him to resist attempts by political actors to create a gap between them for their self-seeking interests.
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