Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has declared that he is open to aligning with any political party that would position him as Nigeria’s president or vice president.
Kwankwaso, however, stressed that any alliance must be based on shared ideology and must not compromise the core principles of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
According to him, discussions on partnerships would only progress with groups willing to accommodate his leadership ambitions.
“What we are hoping for is to meet with people who share similar ideologies—those who will agree that I become number one or number two on the train,” he said.
The former Kano State governor spoke in Kano while addressing supporters and stakeholders at the weekend, amid speculation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may defect from the NNPP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Read also: Kwankwaso warns NNPP members against defection, says political betrayal never pays
Kwankwaso cautioned that such a move would have serious implications for the party, noting that Yusuf is currently the NNPP’s only governor nationwide. He argued that if the governor intends to leave the party, he should relinquish the governorship.
“If you have 30 governors, why must you take Kano State governor? Is he yours? He is the only one left for us in the Government House,” Kwankwaso said.
“Those instigating him to go should tell him to drop the governorship for us and go, since the governorship is not meant for only one person,” he added.
Describing the ongoing political tensions in Kano State as a “nightmare,” Kwankwaso appealed to those fueling the crisis to reconsider their actions in the interest of the people.
“Thank you for coming at this difficult time. What is happening is surprising, just like a nightmare. Some unfortunate things are happening in Kano that some people don’t even believe,” he said, adding that he wished the situation was unreal.
Kwankwaso disclosed that he had been engaging relevant stakeholders behind the scenes to prevent what he described as a dangerous political path that could negatively affect the state.
“Since these things started, I have tried my best. Anybody I needed to talk to, I have done that, trying to convince them that the track they are on will not benefit anybody in Kano,” he stated.
He maintained that the NNPP-led government still had time to deliver dividends of democracy, emphasizing the need for unity among political actors.
“At least this government has one year ahead, and if we join heads together, people will benefit. What people are surprised about is, what is really the problem? What happened?” he said.
Calling for reflection rather than internal conflict, Kwankwaso urged party members to focus on governance.
“This is not the time to fight among ourselves. It is time to see how we can move forward. Some people are just looking for reasons to leave,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that the NNPP was weak in Kano State, insisting that the party remains dominant.
“One will say our party is small. In Kano, which party is bigger than NNPP?” he asked.
Kwankwaso further warned the APC leadership against underestimating Kano State, describing the state as politically strategic.
“If you go back to Abuja and see them, tell them they are playing with Kano. They are underestimating us and they should be very careful. Kano should be treated with caution,” he warned.
