The Kwankwasiyya Movement, on Thursday, called on the U.S. Congress to remove former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from a proposed list of religious freedom violators.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, the movement said the allegations were misleading, unfounded and inconsistent with verifiable public records of Mr Kwankwaso’s life and service.

“The Kwankwasiyya Movement has received with grave concern reports that a proposed Bill before the United States Congress, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457), allegedly references the name of our leader and principal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in connection with claims of severe religious freedom violations,” the statement said.

The group stated that Mr Kwankwaso was never indicted or prosecuted for religious persecution, extremism and human rights violations.

The movement said the move to isolate Mr Kwankwaso for introducing Sharia penal law during his administration as Kano governor, while similar constitutional arrangements existed in other states, raised concern about the credibility of the proposed U.S. bill.

The movement argued that it would be inconsistent for the United States to misjudge Nigeria’s pluralistic legal system, while the U.S. maintains diplomatic and strategic ties with other sovereign nations that practice Islamic jurisprudence.

“His (Mr Kwankwaso’s) 2023 presidential ticket, which paired him with Bishop Isaac Idahosa, reflected his enduring belief in religious inclusion and national balance,” the group noted. “The Kwankwasiyya Movement respectfully calls on the US Congress to outrightly reject this recommendation and remove Dr Kwankwaso’s name from the proposed bill.”

It added, “We believe that the inclusion of Senator Kwankwaso’s name was influenced by certain individuals who are on a mission to settle personal scores with him or by political rivals, or both, and the Congress should not allow its respected chamber to be used for this. Allegations of this magnitude must be grounded in demonstrable facts, not generalised assumptions.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress has proposed a visa ban and asset freeze against Mr Kwankwaso, members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and other Fulani groups, among a slew of sanctions meant to pressure the Nigerian government into ending the alleged persecution of Christians.