Rabiu Kwankwaso, leader of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has said he will only contemplate rejoining All Progressives Congress (APC) if his political base, the Kwankwasiyya movement, is given full recognition.
Gatekeepers News reports that Kwankwaso dismissed rumours of his imminent defection while speaking at his Kano residence on Friday while receiving Buhari Bakwana, a former aide to Abdullahi Ganduje, alongside APC members from the 44 local government areas of the state.
He said, “I am open to discussions with the APC, but only if there is a firm agreement guaranteeing full acknowledgment of the Kwankwasiyya movement.”
“My movement and its followers are my priority, and I cannot trade them off for any political arrangement.”
The former presidential candidate recalled being among the founding fathers of the APC, noting that he and his allies endured persecution from security agencies under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
He lamented that despite their contributions, they received no recognition after the party took power because they were not part of the original faction.
Kwankwaso also accused Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of sidelining his loyalists during reconciliation efforts, claiming he was denied even a zonal leadership slot.
He stressed that the Kwankwasiyya structure has become a formidable force in Nigerian politics and would not allow itself to be used and later discarded.
Kwankwaso added, “We are prepared to engage with APC under strong assurances, but we will not accept being treated as expendable.”
“Even if the PDP comes calling again, any alliance must be based on transparency and equal partnership.”
