2023: Shekarau Confirms His Plans To Dump NNPP, Accuses Kwankwaso Of Betrayal

Former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau has confirmed his plans to dump the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) following alleged betrayal by the presidential candidate of the party, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Shekarau Set To Leave NNPP, Blames Kwankwaso

KanyiDaily had reported that Shekarau, who is the senator representing the Kano Central district, had defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the NNPP in June this year with thousands of his supporters.

He was thereafter offered an automatic return ticket to the senate after his defection but it was observed that none of his associates was offered any elective position by NNPP in the list submitted by the party to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It was gathered that  Shekarau and his associates had continually demanded that the NNPP implement the terms of agreement it reached with them before their defection, among which was nomination ticket for an unspecified number of the former governor’s associates.

However, following the official closure of substitution of candidates by the INEC and the NNPP not yielding to Shekarau’s demand, the tension aggravated with many other political parties including the APC and the PDP reaching out to Shekarau to consider joining them.

Speaking at Kano Foundation Hall on Monday, the former Kano governor confirmed that the NNPP under Kwankwaso’s leadership is supposed to place his supporters in various positions, but that has not been done.

Shekarau, who accused Kwankwaso of betraying an agreement they both had, said it was over for him in NNPP because he will never be a party to injustice and his integrity can’t be compromised.

He said, “All the agreements we had with him were betrayed by Kwankwaso and his boys and they did not accommodate one single person from my camp.

“We reached an agreement to accommodate my supporters into various elective positions in the party, but until now, the committee set up could not accommodate one single person apart from the senatorial slot given to me.

“We consulted our brother Kwankwaso prior to even his joining NNPP when he was in PDP and I was in APC. After we agreed to join NNPP, prior to closing submission of list to INEC, we designed areas and places to field candidates for state to Federal Government. I met him alone on 5 May at about 8:30. Two of us alone, he said he’ll study it and suggest to his advisory team.

“On 15th May, I went to his house and reminded him of our submission of proposal. He said that he will come and discuss with me. On 16th May, he came to my house and we discussed. He called Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, Kawu Sumaila, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Aminu Abdussalam, he said he gave them the work and we told him we need to inject our people.

“On the 17th May, a day after, I summoned advisory team of Shura of what happened. Some said everything should be written but I said no let’s have confidence and have faith in them.

“On the 18th May, after our decamping, we announced our reasons to the media and public that we ditched APC because of injustice. That day we saw list of purported NNPP candidates. On Thursday 19 May I boarded plane to Abuja and sought audience from Kwankwaso at his convenience.

“We’ve agreed after Isha prayer. I went to his house and told him we’ve seen list with my name only and Shehu Kura. What’s the position of our submission? He said his four man committee will be given the work. I suggested to add four from my camp to make it 8. He agreed and we planned to fix date… On 20th May, I wrote to him what we’ve discussed to avoid forgetfulness in a text message.

“June 1, I reminded Kwankwaso of the committee work he promised to talk to them. On 2 June I discussed with Prof Rufai Alkali national chairman of the NNPP and I advised him to talk to Kano chair.

“On his declaration day, I reminded him of the committee pending work. Time was going, we resolved to meet alongside his closet aides Kwankwaso, Abba, party chair, Umar Muhammad, and I. The chair gave issue but said he submitted their proposal to party chair, Doguwa.

“On July 4, the chairman brought out their proposal. We added chairman to the committee making them 9. They have written recommendation for candidates from both sides. 9 of them signed and gave me a copy and to Kwankwaso.

“15 July, I printed two copies of the report and took them to his house. I gave him like 10 minutes. He said he had no objection and I said the same. He called Abba Kabir Yusuf and told me they have accepted the report and be implemented in three days. Two weeks after Abba didn’t call for meeting until INEC closed submission of candidate in July and on August 12 substitution closed. Then he called for a meeting.

“After the deadline elapsed, we called Advisory committee and we set up a committee to advise us on the way forward. We accept the report on Thursday, will study and consult, and in a few days, we will announce our stand.

“I wouldn’t have opened up if not for Kwankwaso guilty conscience that he talked to the media. We want to set the record straight on the saying that we were late. So that people can be well informed.

“It is better to abandon politics than to live in injustice and deception. Did we take directive before joining where we are now? Shall we then seek your permission to join others?.

He added, “I will never be a party to injustice. My integrity is utmost and not any political position that will make me compromise it and that of my people. Nobody will use position or money against my integrity.

“I am a man of honour and integrity but his governorship candidate (Abba Kabir Yusuf) who was given the responsibility to look at areas to accommodate my people into various elective positions never for one single day do so or even call for meeting talk less of accepting my supporters to contest.

“Nobody will use money to change my conscience. I was a governor for eight years in Kano and people believed in my integrity.

“I am still living in a rented house in Abuja and never allocated a single plot of land to myself when I served as Governor in Kano and I challenged anyone who knows my plot of land to expose it.”

This comes a few months after NNPP presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso picked Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.