The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has finally declared interest to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but on a “strong condition.”
Kwankwaso’s declaration of intention finally confirmed the impending decamp of the former governor of Kano State, whose return to the ruling party has already triggered confusion in the nation’s polity.
Kwankwaso hinted at plans to rejoin APC on Thursday while receiving Buhari Bakwana, a former political adviser to ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who came calling along with APC members drawn from the 44 local government areas of Kano State, at Kwankwaso’s residence in Kano.
The NNPP leader said any discussion of a merger or return to APC must spell out tangible benefits for his party. “If you are asking us to join APC, you must tell us what NNPP will gain.”
He, however, stressed that the NNPP remained willing to engage in fresh negotiations but warned that it would not accept being used and dumped.
He reminded the visitors that he and other key figures played a central role in founding the APC in 2013, noting that they bore the brunt of political persecution in the process.
“We have gubernatorial candidates in all the states and full structures nationwide. What will you offer them if we join?” he queried. “We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us,” he maintained.
Kwankwaso further said: “Nobody in the country will tell me the burden we took in creating APC. We were the ones who led the creation of the party, and we were the first set of seven governors to declare support for it. ICPC, EFCC, and the police were all used against me then, just to stop our plans,” he said.
Kwankwaso, who also recalled the frustrations of past alliances, accused both APC and PDP of betraying agreements.
“Eight years of APC under the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari gave us nothing, not even appreciation. In PDP, we asked for just a zonal party chairman, but they refused. We left peacefully, and today we are strong and have integrity,” he said.
Kwankwaso’s latest declaration of interest, however, negated his stands during the NNPP National Executive Council meeting, where he vowed to remain in NNPP despite wide speculation surrounding his move to join APC.
Reacting to Kwankwaso’s willingness to return to the ruling party, State Secretary of APC, Hon. Zakari Ibrahim Sarina, said the party will not hesitate to welcome Kwankwaso back, provided he will be law-abiding and respects the principles of the party.
On the fear of Kwankwaso’s control of party structure when he eventually returned, the APC secretary insisted that no individual has the exclusive power to control the ruling.
“Kwankwaso can’t come to APC to control the party that has national spread. Remember, APC is not NNPP, which he (Kwankwaso) established and controls.
“We are ready to welcome Kwankwaso back to APC because his return is an added advantage to the ruling party. Another reason the party will be willing to have him is the peace and tranquillity in Kano. We need social and economic development in Kano,” Sarina noted.
