Kwankwaso Open to Forgiving, Reconciling with Kano Governor Yusuf
- Rabiu Kwankwaso, NDC vice-presidential candidate, told BBC Hausa he still has deep affection for Kano Governor Abba Yusuf
- Kwankwaso and Yusuf fell out after the governor defected to the APC and aligned with Kwankwaso's rival, Abdullahi Ganduje
- The former Kano governor pointed to his past forgiveness of Ganduje as evidence he holds no grudges against those who cross him
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Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Kano State - Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he remains open to patching up his broken relationship with Abba Yusuf, the governor of Kano State.
Kwankwaso spoke candidly about the falling-out between himself and the governor after Yusuf defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Source: Facebook
Governor Yusuf allied himself with Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Kano governor who has long been regarded as Kwankwaso's principal political rival in the state.
As reported by TheCable, Kwankwaso made the remarks in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service published on Sunday, where he
Yusuf won the Kano governorship seat in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and was once a loyal figure within the Kwankwasiyya movement, the political group built around Kwankwaso's influence.
Their relationship broke down.
Despite the fallout, Kwankwaso was measured in his words, saying he bore no ill will towards Yusuf.
"I didn't abandon him, didn't ask him to go or dismiss him; I still like him," he said.
Kwankwaso cites Ganduje as example of his forgiveness
Kwankwaso, who himself served as governor of Kano, described himself as someone who neither holds grudges nor seeks revenge, pointing to his long and turbulent history with Ganduje as proof of his capacity to forgive.
"How many times did I have issues with Ganduje? He challenged me on several occasions," he said.
He recalled that in 2007, while both men were at the Ministry of Defence, Ganduje was his special assistant but was part of efforts to undermine him politically. Despite that history, Kwankwaso said he still backed Ganduje's ambitions.
"Despite the misgivings, I put Ganduje forward and supported him, but he failed," he added.
According to The Sun, Kwankwaso said the same reasoning applied to Yusuf, insisting that he does not place conditions on those who seek to return to his fold.
"I'm not God. So, if Yusuf or whoever wishes to come, you need to have patience, have a large heart and compassion because not all will play along your line," he said.
He added that differences in age, background and thinking are natural, and that demanding conformity from everyone was unrealistic.
"So, if I'm not forgiving, we will not put Ganduje forward; the situation is the same with Yusuf. We don't ask for a dime from each of them to get our endorsement and tickets; we don't sell our candidature," Kwankwaso said.
He also pushed back against any suggestion that he had become a passive political figure, describing himself as still active in the political arena and not a mere "armchair politician."
Source: Twitter
APC picks fault in Kwankwaso's promise to Atiku
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the APC spokesperson Felix Morka fired back at Kwankwaso after the NDC running mate urged Atiku Abubakar to drop his 2027 presidential bid.
Kwankwaso had appealed to Atiku, citing his age and health, and promised to take care of him if the opposition ticket wins the presidency.
Morka accused the opposition of engaging in 'horse trading' over a presidency that Nigerians have not yet decided.
Source: Legit.ng
