By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya political movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed willingness to forgive and reconcile with Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, despite recent political tensions between them.
Kwankwaso said his relationship with Yusuf remains cordial at a personal level, stressing that political disagreements should not erase past alliances or shared history.
The rift between the two deepened after Governor Yusuf left the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)—under which he won the 2023 governorship election in Kano State—to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that triggered criticism from loyalists of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Speaking in an interview in a video shared by BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso said he harboured no resentment and remains open to reconciliation.
“I still love Abba and I didn’t reject him. He is the one who left. If anyone who left decides to return, I will not shut the door against them,” Kwankwaso said.
He compared the situation to past political reconciliations, noting that disagreements are common in politics and do not always end relationships permanently.
“In politics, people fall out and still come back together. That is how it works,” he added, referencing his past political relationship with former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The Merit Newspaper reports that Kwankwaso further maintained that Yusuf’s electoral victory in 2023 was made possible by the strength of the Kwankwasiyya movement, insisting the group played a central role in securing victory for the NNPP at the time.
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“We supported Abba to contest under our party and we won. He later left to join those we defeated. There was no fear of losing Kano under our platform,” he said.
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He also explained that Yusuf’s candidacy was strategically chosen to demonstrate the influence of the movement rather than based solely on seniority or academic credentials.
“We chose him to test the strength of the Kwankwasiyya movement at that time,” he stated.
Emphasising the importance of tolerance in leadership, Kwankwaso urged political actors to embrace forgiveness and respect differing opinions, noting that unity is essential for sustained political progress.
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“As a leader, you must have an open heart. People come from different backgrounds and cannot always think alike. Without forgiveness, we cannot move forward,” he said.
