I’m Open to Reconciliation With Kano Governor Abba Yusuf – Kwankwaso

Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said he is open to reconciling with his former political ally, Governor Abba Yusuf, despite their recent political differences.

Kwankwaso stated that he still holds no grudge against Yusuf and would welcome him back if he chooses to return to their political fold, stressing that personal relationships should not be permanently broken over political disagreements.

The rift between both politicians began after Yusuf left the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), under which he won the 2023 governorship election, to join the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that sparked criticism within the Kwankwasiyya movement.

In an interview featured in a BBC Hausa video shared on Monday, Kwankwaso—who has also moved from NNPP to the Nigeria Democratic Congress—said reconciliation remains possible.

“I still love Abba and I didn’t reject him, he is the one that left. So not just Abba, if anyone who left comes back, I won’t be unforgiving. Look at Ganduje, in the many years we worked together, we fell out several times and got back together. That is how politics works,” he said.

Kwankwaso maintained that Yusuf’s electoral victory was largely driven by the strength of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

“We picked Abba to contest under the NNPP and we won, but he left to join the people we defeated. Some say he did so because he feared losing his position, but he knows there was no way we would have been defeated in Kano. If that were the case, we would have lost when he contested under our party,” he added.

He further explained that Yusuf was chosen in 2023 not based on seniority or academic qualification, but as a strategic decision to test the political strength of the movement.

“We did not choose him because he was the most senior or the most educated. We chose him because we wanted to test the strength and calibre of the Kwankwasiyya movement at that time,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of tolerance in leadership, Kwankwaso added that forgiveness is essential in politics.

“As a leader, you need to have an open heart. You cannot force people to think the way you do because we all come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives. Without forgiveness, we would not have come this far,” he concluded.