AfriPulse
September 21, (THEWILL) — A few days after the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party expelled Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, the lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji Constituency in the House of Representatives, over alleged anti-party activities and failure to meet his financial obligations, the leaders of the party and its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election has indicated his interest to return to the governing All Progressives Congress, APC.
Although the State Chairman of the NNPP, Alhaji Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, who announced the expulsion of Jibrin on the grounds of repeated media attacks against the party and its leadership, as well as his open declaration of loyalty outside the party, the truth of the matter was that the lawmakers had visited President Bola Tinubu twice, during which discussions on the possible defection of Kwankwaso to APC was reportedly discussed, with Jubrin openly stating that the decision was up to the party leader to make.
Dungurawa dismissed the lawmaker as a “weak politician” whose electoral victory was only possible through the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the NNPP platform and that speculations that his likely defection to the APC would not weaken the NNPP, insisting that Kwankwasiyya remained solidly behind its leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
On Thursday, however, Senator Kwankwaso disclosed his intention to return to the APC on strong terms.
The NNPP National leader demanded “strong promises” from the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu.
Kwankwaso reportedly stated this while speaking to Hon. Buhari Bakwana, a former adviser on political affairs to Abdullahi Ganduje –the immediate past governor of the state.
Bakwana, a former APC member who had joined NNPP, alongside APC members from the 44 local government areas of Kano State, was with Kwankwaso at his Miller Road residence in Kano on Thursday.
Bakwana, like Jibrin, is among those putting pressure on Kwankwaso to return to APC, on whose platform he won his second term election as governor of Kano State.
During the visit, Kwankwaso reminded his guests of the role he and other key figures played in founding the APC in 2013.
For the ex-Kano State governor, he must get “tangible results,” if he must go back to the governing party.
He, however, explained that the NNPP remained willing to engage in fresh negotiations, but warned that it would not accept to be used and dumped.
Kwankwaso said: “We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“Discussions about a merger or return to APC must spell out tangible benefits for my party, NNPP, If you are asking us to join APC, you must tell us what NNPP will gain. We have governorship candidates in all the states and full structures nationwide. What will you offer them, if we join?” he asked.
“Nobody in this country will tell me the burden we took to form the APC. We were the ones who led the creation of the party and we were the first set of seven governors to declare support for it. ICPC, EFCC and the police were all used against us (me and them), just to stop our plans.”
The NNPP national leader also recalled the frustrations of past alliances, accusing both APC and PDP of reneging on agreements.
He lamented what he called the political wilderness that eight years of late President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency confined him and his supporters.
“Eight years of APC under the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari gave us nothing, not even appreciation. In PDP, we asked for just a zonal party chairman, but they refused. We left peacefully and today we are strong, with integrity,” Kwankwaso said.
THEWILL recalls that Kwankwaso’s defection to the APC is a running story. At one point, he was reported as being wooed by the President as a possible replacement for Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2027. Neither him, nor the APC denied the story. Then in July this year, Kwankwaso held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Villa.
Arising from the meeting, Kwankwaso told State House correspondents that he discussed politics and governance with the president.
Hinting at the likelihood of working with President Tinubu, he however said he did not discuss defection with the President.
Pundits see Kwankwaso’s recent disclosure of his readiness to join the APC as an invitation to the APC to open talks with him. His party appears weak ahead of 2027 politics.
His party is factionalised. Three members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the NNPP, Senator Kawu Sumaila and Representatives, Kabiru Usman and Abdullahi Sani have defected senators. The only serving member, Jibrin, was expelled by the party, recently.
Meanwhile, the Kano state chapter of the APC yesterday expressed its readiness to welcome Kwankwaso back to the party.
The State Secretary of the party, Zakari Ibrahim Sarina, said the APC will not hesitate to welcome Kwankwaso back, provided he will be law abiding and respect the law and order and principles of the party.
Alhaji Sarina, however, cautioned that the NNPP National Leader should not think he will return to the ruling party and begin to pursue others for dominance.
On whether he is afraid of (Kwankwaso’s) dominance and control of party structure in Kano, if the merger is realised, the APC secretary insisted “Kwankwaso has no power to control APC.”
“Kwankwaso can’t come to APC and control a party that has national spread. APC is not the NNPP which he established and controls.
“We are ready to welcome Kwankwaso back to APC, because his return is an added advantage to the ruling party.
“Another reason the party will be willing to have him is the peace and tranquility in Kano. We need social and economic development in Kano,” Sarina said.
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Source: TheWillNigeria | Read the Full Story…
