January 02, (THEWILL) – The Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party in Kano State, Hashimu Suleiman Dungurawa, has dismissed allegations by the All Progressives Congress that Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, is a political refugee seeking relevance.
Speaking to journalists in Kano on Thursday, Dungurawa described the APC’s claims as baseless, insisting that Kwankwaso remains a bona fide member and the national leader of the NNPP.
“Contrary to the APC’s claim that Senator Kwankwaso has no political platform, he is not only a foundational member of the NNPP but also a true democrat who has consistently fought against injustice and misrule in Nigeria,” Dungurawa stated.
He further described Kwankwaso as a political pioneer who, rather than align with the ruling party for personal gain, left the then ruling PDP to co-found the APC, which later took power at the federal level in 2015.
“Certainly, Kwankwaso is not a political refugee, as alleged by the APC. He is a leader whose commitment to Nigeria’s progress is unmatched. It was through his efforts that the APC, under President Muhammadu Buhari, captured power at the center in 2015, including winning Kano State and several other states and legislative seats,” he added.
Dungurawa expressed confidence in Kwankwaso’s political future, predicting his ascension to the presidency in 2027.
“By God’s grace, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso will emerge as Nigeria’s next president in 2027. The NNPP will also deliver a resounding defeat to the APC in Kano, even more decisively than in the 2023 elections,” he declared.
He also took a swipe at the PDP, vowing that the party would fare even worse in Kano in the next general elections.
“We will ensure that the PDP gets less than the 15,000 votes it managed in the 2023 elections when 2027 comes around,” Dungurawa said.
The APC in Kano had earlier described Kwankwaso as a “political refugee” who is clinging to Governor Abba Yusuf “like a leech” in a desperate bid to remain politically relevant.
In a statement by its Kano State Chairman, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, the APC alleged that Kwankwaso’s influence in the NNPP had waned due to his “self-centeredness and cluelessness.”
“Our teeming supporters in the APC have no cause to worry about Kwankwaso. He has been booted out of the NNPP and now wanders aimlessly in the political terrain,” Abbas said.
The APC further warned against any attempt to manipulate votes in the 2027 elections, vowing that the party would not allow a repeat of what it described as “vote allocation” in the 2023 polls.
“The APC will not tolerate any false impression of the NNPP’s strength in Kano. We are prepared to reclaim our mandate,” Abbas added.
The battle lines appear drawn between the two parties as they brace for another electoral showdown in 2027.
Abdullahi Yusuf is a seasoned journalist, communicator and was previously the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Zonal Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Jos, where he retired on December 15, 2021
