₦airaland Forum

AREWA IS NOT DOING JUSTICE TO KWANKWASO

By: Comrade Usman Abdulkadir Taleeki

As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the political field is becoming more active and uncertain. New alliances are being formed, defections are on the rise, and the idea of another major coalition is gaining ground. Recently, the emergence of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) has sparked serious political conversations. But one name that has remained central to all of this is Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Whether people are talking in political circles, on the streets, or across social media, they all seem to agree on one thing: Kwankwaso is a major factor in 2027. Yet, at the same time, many from the same North he served faithfully are either undermining him or silently watching as he is judged unfairly. This is why it must be said clearly: Arewa has not done justice to this man.

Kwankwaso is not a newcomer. He has been at the center of Nigerian politics for decades. As Governor of Kano State, he was one of the major architects of the 2015 APC merger that brought President Buhari to power. His ability to mobilize the masses and influence electoral outcomes was evident when he delivered over 1.9
million votes to the APC presidential ticket in that election. It was one of the highest single-state votes in Nigeria’s electoral history. But after the victory, rather than being appreciated, he was sidelined. The betrayal came not just from political enemies, but from those he raised politically. His own political protégé, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, turned against him. With support from the federal level, Ganduje used the system to weaken and humiliate him. The entire federal machinery was used to frustrate him politically in Kano. He was forced to leave the APC, not because he desired to, but because the system was rigged against him.

He then joined the PDP and contested in the 2019 presidential primaries. Though he didn’t win, he remained loyal to the party, stayed active, and continued to contribute. But when the 2019 gubernatorial election in Kano turned into a battle zone, and the election was clearly manipulated in favor of Ganduje, Kwankwaso was left to fight the battle alone. Nobody came to his rescue. Not even his supposed allies within the PDP.

After that, when he attempted to seek a leadership role within the PDP as the Northwest Zonal Coordinator, he was blocked. Not by opponents from another party, but by people within the same PDP. Senior figures like Sule Lamido and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal actively worked against him. It was no longer about party strategy. It was clearly personal. And throughout all this, top PDP leaders like Atiku Abubakar watched quietly. They did not defend him. They did not protect him. They simply ignored him.

But Kwankwaso has never been the type to sit and cry over rejection. Instead of begging for space where he was not welcomed, he took over the NNPP, a party that had no structure or national presence. Within months, he turned it into a serious political force. He mobilized people from the grassroots, built a new political structure, and won Kano State under the NNPP banner in 2023. That victory shocked many, especially those who thought he was finished. But they did not stop. His enemies moved again, this time through the courts, trying to use legal loopholes to snatch the victory from him. Still, he survived. Then came the emirship saga in Kano, a deeply sensitive cultural issue. Again, Kwankwaso faced it alone while many of his so-called political colleagues either stayed silent or laughed from a distance.

Now, we are beginning to hear those same people who betrayed him calling for him to join another coalition. Some of them even suggest he has no other option but to return. But this is the same group that either harmed or abandoned him when he needed them. Kwankwaso is a human being, and he cannot forget how they treated him. He has been in a merger before. He contributed more than anyone else in that process, yet he was rewarded with humiliation. So now, he is careful. This is politics, not religion. Politics is about interest, calculation, and long-term vision. He must move wisely, and whatever decision he takes must be respected.

If he decides to join the new coalition, that is fine. Personally, I would love that. If he decides to return to APC and accepts a Vice Presidential ticket, that is also his decision. But what is not acceptable is the name-calling and judgment being passed on him as if he is desperate. This is a man who has been betrayed, backstabbed, and ignored at every major turn, and yet, he still rises with dignity. He has seen enough to know how to move in Nigerian politics.

One thing history will never forget is that Kwankwaso has carried the burden of the common man more than any modern northern politician. While others were giving their children positions of power, he was sponsoring the children of the poor from primary school to PhD. He didn’t hand over ministries or agencies to his son, even though his son is active in politics. Instead, he raised boys from the streets and turned them into leaders, commissioners, and lawmakers. That is leadership.

He is not perfect. No one is. But what cannot be denied is his commitment to the people, especially the poor and youth. If Arewa truly values service, sacrifice, and sincerity, then Kwankwaso deserves more than silence or mockery. He deserves recognition, support, and justice.

Because no matter how politics is played, the truth remains. When others abandoned the masses, he stood with them. When others chased power, he chased purpose. And when others counted votes, he counted people.

Arewa must do better. Kwankwaso deserves better.

The sponsored articles are becoming rife. No Northerner is against Kwankwaso. The North believes in his freedom to chart his own course. Afterall, he contested primaries alongside Buhari and Atiku in 2014 under the newly formed APC. He then decamped to the PDP thereafter. No Northerner called him a betrayer unlike the SW who now brands Osinbajo as one.

He's free to decamp to the APC and Vice Tinubu but it's only natural that he'll lose some of his Kwankwasiyya supporters. His influence would not be enough to re-elect Tinubu. The North are determined to vote out Tinubu primarily due to the hardship. Not even Buhari as Vice will change that.

valentino057996:
AREWA IS NOT DOING JUSTICE TO KWANKWASO

By: Comrade Usman Abdulkadir Taleeki

As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, the political field is becoming more active and uncertain. New alliances are being formed, defections are on the rise, and the idea of another major coalition is gaining ground. Recently, the emergence of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) has sparked serious political conversations. But one name that has remained central to all of this is Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Whether people are talking in political circles, on the streets, or across social media, they all seem to agree on one thing: Kwankwaso is a major factor in 2027. Yet, at the same time, many from the same North he served faithfully are either undermining him or silently watching as he is judged unfairly. This is why it must be said clearly: Arewa has not done justice to this man.

Kwankwaso is not a newcomer. He has been at the center of Nigerian politics for decades. As Governor of Kano State, he was one of the major architects of the 2015 APC merger that brought President Buhari to power. His ability to mobilize the masses and influence electoral outcomes was evident when he delivered over 1.9
million votes to the APC presidential ticket in that election. It was one of the highest single-state votes in Nigeria’s electoral history. But after the victory, rather than being appreciated, he was sidelined. The betrayal came not just from political enemies, but from those he raised politically. His own political protégé, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, turned against him. With support from the federal level, Ganduje used the system to weaken and humiliate him. The entire federal machinery was used to frustrate him politically in Kano. He was forced to leave the APC, not because he desired to, but because the system was rigged against him.

He then joined the PDP and contested in the 2019 presidential primaries. Though he didn’t win, he remained loyal to the party, stayed active, and continued to contribute. But when the 2019 gubernatorial election in Kano turned into a battle zone, and the election was clearly manipulated in favor of Ganduje, Kwankwaso was left to fight the battle alone. Nobody came to his rescue. Not even his supposed allies within the PDP.

After that, when he attempted to seek a leadership role within the PDP as the Northwest Zonal Coordinator, he was blocked. Not by opponents from another party, but by people within the same PDP. Senior figures like Sule Lamido and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal actively worked against him. It was no longer about party strategy. It was clearly personal. And throughout all this, top PDP leaders like Atiku Abubakar watched quietly. They did not defend him. They did not protect him. They simply ignored him.

But Kwankwaso has never been the type to sit and cry over rejection. Instead of begging for space where he was not welcomed, he took over the NNPP, a party that had no structure or national presence. Within months, he turned it into a serious political force. He mobilized people from the grassroots, built a new political structure, and won Kano State under the NNPP banner in 2023. That victory shocked many, especially those who thought he was finished. But they did not stop. His enemies moved again, this time through the courts, trying to use legal loopholes to snatch the victory from him. Still, he survived. Then came the emirship saga in Kano, a deeply sensitive cultural issue. Again, Kwankwaso faced it alone while many of his so-called political colleagues either stayed silent or laughed from a distance.

Now, we are beginning to hear those same people who betrayed him calling for him to join another coalition. Some of them even suggest he has no other option but to return. But this is the same group that either harmed or abandoned him when he needed them. Kwankwaso is a human being, and he cannot forget how they treated him. He has been in a merger before. He contributed more than anyone else in that process, yet he was rewarded with humiliation. So now, he is careful. This is politics, not religion. Politics is about interest, calculation, and long-term vision. He must move wisely, and whatever decision he takes must be respected.

If he decides to join the new coalition, that is fine. Personally, I would love that. If he decides to return to APC and accepts a Vice Presidential ticket, that is also his decision. But what is not acceptable is the name-calling and judgment being passed on him as if he is desperate. This is a man who has been betrayed, backstabbed, and ignored at every major turn, and yet, he still rises with dignity. He has seen enough to know how to move in Nigerian politics.

One thing history will never forget is that Kwankwaso has carried the burden of the common man more than any modern northern politician. While others were giving their children positions of power, he was sponsoring the children of the poor from primary school to PhD. He didn’t hand over ministries or agencies to his son, even though his son is active in politics. Instead, he raised boys from the streets and turned them into leaders, commissioners, and lawmakers. That is leadership.

He is not perfect. No one is. But what cannot be denied is his commitment to the people, especially the poor and youth. If Arewa truly values service, sacrifice, and sincerity, then Kwankwaso deserves more than silence or mockery. He deserves recognition, support, and justice.

Because no matter how politics is played, the truth remains. When others abandoned the masses, he stood with them. When others chased power, he chased purpose. And when others counted votes, he counted people.

Arewa must do better. Kwankwaso deserves better.

Incase kwankwaso has short memory like nigeria electorates. He only needs to look at shettima to understand the fate that awaits him, if he joins apc.