Kehinde Fajobi
Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has condemned the actions of a few Northern elites who, according to him, claim to represent the region while interfering in the selection of political candidates, particularly for the presidency.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso stated that these self-declared leaders were causing divisions and undermining democracy by promoting unqualified candidates.
“This oppressive thing they are doing is causing discord in the community. Whatever you do, do it based on the truth. It should not be said that the elders, some of them are our parents and some of them are brothers, especially in this area, here in the north and west, they shouldn’t show favouritism in bringing out candidates,” he said.
Kwankwaso criticised these leaders for spreading falsehoods and claimed they falsely present themselves as representing the North’s consensus.
“Many of them come to spread lies, gather people, and tell them that the North has agreed on its candidates, and all these people are not more than two or three, but you see a man going and saying lies, instead of going to Port Harcourt or going to Abuja to go and promote us, who are their children, but then they go and show favouritism,” he added.
Reflecting on the 2019 elections, Kwankwaso lamented that despite multiple candidates emerging from the Northwest, certain leaders dismissed their efforts and manipulated the process to suit their interests.
“Even if you are a former governor, you are there; if you are a former minister, you are there, whether you want to be tall or short, but in the end that’s how they went and dumped us and did what they wanted,” he recalled.
Kwankwaso also addressed rumours of a supposed agreement between himself, former PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi to each serve a single term as president. He dismissed the claims, stating he had no knowledge of such an arrangement.
“This issue really hurts me. It is said that the elders are lying; they are saying things that have not been done. I was told that about forty-five Mallams were gathered, and they are telling the people. But there is no such thing. I am not at all happy about this thing,” Kwankwaso said.
He urged the so-called Northern leaders to allow the people to freely choose their preferred candidates without undue influence or false narratives.