Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed his willingness to forgive and reconcile with Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf despite their political differences.
Gatekeepers News reports that Kwankwaso made the statement in an interview with BBC Hausa Service published on Sunday, where he spoke about his strained relationship with Yusuf, who was elected governor of Kano State in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Yusuf was previously a strong supporter of the Kwankwasiyya movement led by Kwankwaso. Their relationship became strained after Yusuf defected from the NNPP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and aligned politically with former Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje, a long-standing political rival of Kwankwaso.
Speaking about the situation, Kwankwaso said he had not abandoned Yusuf and maintained that he still had affection for the governor.
“I didn’t abandon him, didn’t ask him to go or dismiss him, I still like him,” he said.
Kwankwaso also described himself as someone who forgives people who offend him, citing his past relationship with Ganduje as an example.
“How many times did I have issues with Ganduje? He challenged me on several occasions,” he said.
He recalled that Ganduje served as his special assistant at the Ministry of Defence in 2007 and alleged that some people had worked against him after he contested an election.
“In spite of the misgivings, I put Ganduje forward and supported him but he failed,” Kwankwaso said.
The former Kano governor said he does not believe in dictating how people should behave, adding that people have different backgrounds, experiences and ways of reasoning.
“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.
“You don’t expect everybody to act, behave or think like you do, because everyone has his way of reasoning, age, background and educational qualifications,” Kwankwaso added.
He further said his willingness to forgive was not limited to Yusuf, noting that he had previously supported people with whom he had political disagreements.
“So, if I’m not forgiving, we will not put Ganduje forward; the situation is the same with Yusuf,” he said.
Kwankwaso also maintained that his political endorsements were not motivated by financial considerations.
“We don’t ask for a dime from each of them to get our endorsement and tickets; we don’t sell our candidature,” he said.
