A former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Yekini Nabena, has asked former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State to stop inciting the north against President Bola Tinubu or any other southerner in the 2027 general election.
Nabena said no ethnic, religious or regional sentiment played up by Kwankwaso against the southern presidency can hold water, adding that eight years of a southerner in the seat of power is sacrosanct.
Kwankwaso, who was the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), recently faulted the federal government on the distribution of the nation’s wealth, alleging that the south is being favoured against the north.
Kwankwaso stated that road networks in the north have remained in a poor condition, while infrastructural investments have been more concentrated in the south.
Reacting to the remarks, Nabena said the former governor’s real intention was to incite the Northerners against the current administration and the re-election of a Southerner in 2027 to complete 8 years of a Southern presidency in the seat of power.
The APC chieftain said such incitement for “a political business or negotiation, like some politicians did in 2019 and 2023 can no longer work because the people now know the real intention. The Kano voters now know who is using them for political business and even the political gladiators now understand the tactics of political machants.”
The Bayelsa born politician, however challenged Kwankwaso to travel across the South-south states by road and compare “the road networks in the Oil-rich region, where the major is coming from” to that of the Northern region.
He said: “Is the north inferior or superior to the south after eight years of the north in the helm of affairs of Nigeria? Why is Senator Kwankwaso still complaining of under-development in the North when the region just completed its eight years? One will also wonder which of the northern money or resources was used to develop the South? Is it the Gold, Rice or Groundnut pyramid?
“As a politician, we all understand what the former Governor is up to. He is working hard to incite the North against the Southern presidency but that has failed woefully because the South must complete the 8 years in the presidency for fairness and equity.”
The former APC spokesman, however, declared that Kwankwaso cannot and do not have capacity to intimidate the South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“You cannot intimidate the South or anybody with Kano votes any longer because as a politician we all know the game and what you are up to. The era of playing religious or ethnic cards is far becoming unfashionable,” Nabena said.
