Former Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has dismissed rumours of his impending defection, stressing that he remains fully committed to the party and its vision.
Speaking at the NNPP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Kwankwaso said the party is making strong progress both in Kano and in other states across the federation.
He noted that a large number of members and observers had attended the meeting in anticipation of a “critical decision” on his political future, but he used the occasion to reaffirm his loyalty.
“But let me take this opportunity to tell you that we have our party, and we are comfortable. We are happy. We are ready to do whatever it takes because we are not in a hurry,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Minister of Defence emphasised that any political negotiations concerning the 2027 general elections would not be made in isolation but through a collective decision of the entire party structure.
“If there will be any negotiation, it will be collective. It will not be only for the negotiators but for the entire members of this NNPP family,” he declared.
Kwankwaso, founder of the Kwankwasiyya political movement, also dismissed insinuations of internal division, stressing that no known member of his camp or the NNPP had indicated any plans to leave.
“The fact remains that there is nobody in Kwankwasiyya today that I know, or even in NNPP, who is saying that, ‘yes, I want to go’,” he maintained.
He also took aim at those spreading rumours about his political future, accusing them of lacking the proper understanding of his movement and party politics.
“Those people don’t understand, and they don’t have much experience. They believe that they know when they actually don’t know. Even if they are interested in knowing, I think they should come and ask one of us,” Kwankwaso remarked.
His comments come amid growing speculation about alignments ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly as major opposition parties seek to strengthen their chances against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso, who emerged as a strong third force in the 2023 presidential race, has been seen as a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s political future, especially in the North where the NNPP commands significant grassroots support.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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