By Emmanuel Kwada
In a fiery press statement, former Kano State Governor and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has categorically rejected overtures from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring he would rather quit politics than return to a party he accuses of plunging Nigeria into hardship and despair.
Addressing Nigerians in a statement released on Saturday, Kwankwaso revealed that President Tinubu had personally reached out to him on multiple occasions, urging him to return to the APC, a party Kwankwaso helped build but left due to its “departure from principle and justice.”
According to Kwankwaso, Tinubu assured him that “all conditions” for his return would be met, describing the terms as being “like pupils in your hands.” However, Kwankwaso rebuffed these offers, citing the APC’s failure to address Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including insecurity, hunger, unemployment, economic decay, and corruption.
I made it crystal clear to him that I would rather quit politics entirely than return to the APC, a party that has inflicted immense hardship on Nigerians
“I made it crystal clear to him that I would rather quit politics entirely than return to the APC, a party that has inflicted immense hardship on Nigerians,” Kwankwaso stated, emphasizing that his decision was rooted in “principle, patriotism, and the love I have for this country and its struggling citizens.”
The former governor, known for his influential Kwankwasiyya movement, did not mince words in criticizing the APC’s governance under both Tinubu and his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari. He accused the party of prioritizing personal interests and propaganda over service and integrity, asserting that it has “lost moral ground and historical relevance” in addressing Nigeria’s woes.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Kwankwaso announced plans to form a “broad-based political movement” with like-minded patriots to challenge the APC and reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.
Our goal is not just to defeat APC in 2027, but to rebuild Nigeria from the ruins it has been plunged into by years of failed leadership
He described this movement as one that would transcend ethnicity, religion, and region, uniting Nigerians—particularly the youth—to “peacefully and democratically” end the Tinubu administration through the ballot box. “Our goal is not just to defeat APC in 2027, but to rebuild Nigeria from the ruins it has been plunged into by years of failed leadership,” he declared.
Kwankwaso’s statement also served as a warning to those in power, reminding them that Nigerians are grappling with real suffering and will hold leaders accountable in 2027. “No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or elite bargains will stop the will of the people when the time comes,” he said.
The NNPP leader called on Nigerians who believe in justice, equity, and competent leadership to join his movement, emphasizing that his political journey has always been about building a better future for the country’s youth and downtrodden. “To President Tinubu and those urging me to return to APC, I say thank you, but my loyalty is to Nigeria, not to political parties that have failed her,” Kwankwaso concluded.
No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or elite bargains will stop the will of the people when the time comes
The statement, signed by Kwankwaso and written by Hon. Ibrahim Rabiu, Senior Special Reporter to the Kano State Governor on Transportation, has sparked widespread reactions across Nigeria’s political spectrum. As the 2027 elections draw closer, Kwankwaso’s bold rejection of the APC and his call for a new political movement signal a potential shift in Nigeria’s volatile political landscape.
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