.Resigns from NNPP
.Kwankwasiyya Movement directs members to follow Kwankwaso
.As NNPP distances self from ex-Kano gov’s defection to ADC
By Yahaya Umar
After series of enticements by the All Progressives Congress, APC, for ex-Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso at the highest level including meetings with President Bola Tinubu for Kwankwaso to join the APC, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement has finally broke his romance with the ruling party to settle for the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC.
AljazirahNigeria reports that Kwankwaso resigned from the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, yesterday ahead of joining the ADC today.
The ex-Kano governor’s entrance into the ADC is seen by pundits as a major boost for the new opposition sensation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso will join other political heavy weights including: 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, ex-President of the Senate, Senator David Mark among others.
AljazirahNigeria reports that the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement to the ADC comes amid factional crisis in the NNPP where he was the National Leader.
In that crisis that bedeviled the opposition parties , including the NNPP, the APC lobbyist tried to woo Kwankwaso and had invited him in and outside Nigeria for deliberations to enable him join the ruling party but it is obvious that the APC overtures and certain agreements were not reached prompting Kwankwaso to pitch his tent with the now strongest opposition party, the ADC, which has boosted the coalition party challenging the ruling APC in 2027.
Meanwhile, the kwankwasiyya movement has directed its members nationwide to align with the ADC following Kwankwaso’s defection to the party.
A statement issued at the weekend by the movement’s spokesman, Habibu Mohammed, disclosed that its National Leader, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has finalized plans to join the ADC-led coalition.
The statement read that “The Kwankwasiyya Movement wishes to formally inform all its members across Nigeria and the general public that our Supreme Leader, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has concluded all necessary arrangements to join the African Democratic Congress”.
It pointed out that Kwankwaso is scheduled to officially register with the party on Monday, March 30, 2026, at his residence, Gidan Kwankwasiyya, Miller Road, Kano, by 12 noon.
In this vein, the kwankwasiyya movement subsequently directed its members nationwide to immediately commence registration with the ADC in their respective wards, local government areas, and states.
Giving the rationale for Kwankwaso’s defection the statement indicated that the decision was taken in the best interest of the Movement, Kano State, and Nigeria as a whole, reaffirming its commitment to democratic ideals and good governance.
Therefore, “We emphasised that democracy must be protected, and the will of the people must always be respected”, the statement read.
Responding to the defection Founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said members of the party are not part of Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s planned defection to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
Aniebonam made this known in a statement yesterday in Lagos.
In a statement formally announcing his resignation from the NNPP with immediate effect Kwankwaso said: “I seize this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the honour and privilege of serving as the NNPP 2023 presidential candidate.
“As a committed and bonafide member of the party, this was not an easy decision to make”.
According to Kwankwaso, considering the current trajectory of the nation’s political landscape, which calls for strategic realignment, he found it necessary to identify with another political platform that offers the best opportunity to effectively change the nation.
Kwankwaso will be officially joining the ADC on Monday, March 30.
In a memo on Saturday, Dr. Ahmed Ajuji, NNPP former national chairman and member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, urged the NNPP National Working Committee members, state chairmen, as well as all office holders of the party from national to ward to remain in their respective positions and continue their work within the party.
Ajuji had said that except for those, who wished to resign and pursue other political careers, others should remain in the NNPP as there are moves to unify the party and withdraw all litigations.
Aniebonam said that in spite wishing Kwankwaso good luck in his endeavors, the NNPP would not be his fall back party if he failed in the ADC.
He said: “We are not joining the ADC, most of our members in Kano state went to APC. Only members of the Kwankwasiyya movement left may join their leader to the ADC.
“Ajuji and members of the Kwankwasiya movement, including Kwankwaso and Elder Buba Galadima have long been expelled from the NNPP. We won our cases in court against them. Ajuji, therefore, cannot tell us what to do.
“Most of our members, including our sole governor, Yusuf Ahmed of Kano state, left for the APC because of our escalating court cases.
“It is, therefore, funny to see Ajuji, signing such a memo when we all know he belongs to the Kwankwasiya movement and a recognised member of the Agbo Major led NWC of the NNPP.
“The NNPP will not accept Kwankwaso back into its fold nor allow him to ever fly our flag again for whatever position.”
Aniebonam noted that from the body language, it was obvious that the few people left of the Kwankwasiya movement did not even believe in the ADC or Kwankwaso’s ability to survive there.
He said the NNPP had already begun consultations with aspirants for the 2027 presidential elections, adding that all aspirants would have to undergo the party primaries, unlike in 2023 when they handed over their presidential ticket to Kwankwaso for free and, who later betrayed them.
“We will not make the same mistakes again. The NNPP is willing to accept members, who defected to other parties back into its fold but never those expelled for anti party activities.
“We are actually relieved to see Kwankwaso join a new party as that will usher in the peace that had long eluded members, ever since Kwankwaso began his moves to hijack the NNPP.
“We are also not averse to collaborations with parties of similar ideologies but it will be decided by members in the build up to the 2027 general elections”, Aniebonam added.
