Kwankwaso expresses willingness to forgive, reconcile with Gov. Yusuf

Mr Kwankwaso said he neither abandoned Mr Yusuf nor asked him to change his political party.

News Agency of Nigeria • September 20, 2026

Kwankwaso, Governor Yusuf

The leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he is willing to reconcile with Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State.

It will be recalled that Mr Yusuf, a staunch adherent of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, won the 2023 election under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The development resulted in a serious frosty relationship between Mr Kwankwaso and Mr Yusuf, who served as his aide for the last 40 years.

However, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, posted on his verified social media handle, Mr Kwankwaso said he can forgive and reconcile with Mr Yusuf if he so wishes.

Mr Kwankwaso said he neither abandoned Mr Yusuf nor asked him to change his political party.

He added that “I didn’t abandon him, didn’t ask him to go or dismiss him, I still like him.”

Mr Kwankwaso, who is also the running mate to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), said he was not a vengeful person and always forgives those who wrong him.

He said that he forgave former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in spite of several wrongdoings meted out to him.

“How many times did I have issues with Ganduje? He challenged me on several occasions.

“In 2007, when we were in the Ministry of Defence, he was my Special Assistant (SA), but they held meetings to bring me down because I contested with them.

“In spite of the misgivings, I put Ganduje forward and supported him but he failed,” he said.

Mr Kwankwaso, who said he never considered himself a leader who dictates or directs people on what to do, added that he is still in politics and not an armchair politician.

He explained that “I’m not God. So, if Yusuf or whoever wishes to come, you need to have patience, have a large heart and compassion because not all will play along your line.

“You don’t expect everybody to act, behave or think like you do, because everyone has his way of reasoning, age, background and educational qualifications.

“So, if I am not forgiving, we will not put Ganduje forward, the situation is the same with Yusuf.

“We don’t ask for a dime from each of them to get our endorsement and tickets; we don’t sell our candidature.”

(NAN)

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