KWANKWASO LEAVES ROOM FOR RECONCILIATION WITH ABBA YUSUF

Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said he remains open to reconciling with the current Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, despite the political differences that have strained their relationship. Kwankwaso made the position known during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, where he addressed the circumstances surrounding their fallout and maintained that he still has affection for Yusuf. He said he had neither abandoned the governor nor asked him to leave the political movement they previously belonged to.

Yusuf had been a prominent supporter of the Kwankwasiyya movement associated with Kwankwaso and won the 2023 Kano governorship election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. Their relationship later deteriorated after Yusuf left the NNPP and joined the All Progressives Congress, where he aligned politically with former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who has had longstanding political disagreements with Kwankwaso. The development deepened the division between Yusuf and the political camp led by his former mentor.

Speaking about the disagreement, Kwankwaso said he did not consider himself a vindictive person and maintained that he was willing to forgive people with whom he had political differences. He cited his past relationship with Ganduje as an example, recalling that they had experienced disagreements on several occasions but that he still supported Ganduje at a point when he was considered for political leadership. Kwankwaso said his willingness to forgive was not limited to one person and that the same approach applied to Yusuf.

The NDC leader also said people should understand that individuals have different backgrounds, ages, educational experiences and ways of thinking, meaning that everyone cannot be expected to act according to another person's wishes. He said he does not dictate what people should do and stressed that he remains actively involved in politics rather than operating as an inactive political figure. According to him, anyone seeking reconciliation would need to demonstrate patience, understanding and compassion because political relationships can experience disagreements and changes.

Kwankwaso further stated that his political support and endorsements were not based on financial demands, saying he does not ask candidates to pay money in exchange for his backing or party tickets. His comments come amid continued political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, following Yusuf's movement to the APC and Kwankwaso's own emergence in the NDC. While the former governor expressed willingness to reconcile, his comments did not indicate that a formal reconciliation agreement with Yusuf had already been reached.